legal Archives

AppWizard

June 28, 2025

13 years ago, Mojang canceled its Lego Minecraft game amid frustrations with the toy company’s brand restrictions – now the original prototype has been found and preserved online

In 2012, Mojang began developing a Lego-themed spin-off of Minecraft called Brickcraft, which was ultimately canceled due to Lego's brand restrictions. Recently, a version of Brickcraft from June 28, 2012, was discovered and made available to players by Omniarchive. The project faced significant challenges, including disagreements over design elements, such as the inclusion of scratches on Lego bricks, which Lego opposed. Markus "Notch" Persson decided to halt the project due to frustrations with Lego's rules. Brickcraft was intended to feature expansive biomes and engaging gameplay similar to Minecraft, but it was never completed.

TrendTechie

June 27, 2025

В Греции администратора торрент-трекера приговорили к пяти годам тюрьмы

The Piraeus Court of Appeals has upheld a five-year prison sentence for a 59-year-old Greek man who operated the torrent tracker P2PLanet from 2011 to 2014, along with a €10,000 fine. The platform had over 44,000 users and 14,000 torrent files available before it ceased operations in 2014 after a cyberattack and the administrator's arrest. The Greek cybercrime unit raided the suspect's residence in 2014, seizing a computer hard drive. The domain name p2planet.net has been inactive for a decade. Legal actions against torrent site operators in Greece are rare, indicating a potential shift towards stricter enforcement of copyright laws. In 2019, a Greek court sentenced another individual to five years in prison for managing multiple pirate sites. Global trends show a decline in piracy, with visits to illegal sites projected to drop from 229 billion in 2023 to 216 billion in 2024.

TrendTechie

June 27, 2025

5 Best VPNs for uTorrent in 2025: Fast & Secure Downloads

ExpressVPN is recommended as the best VPN for torrenting with uTorrent in 2025, offering support for P2P sharing in 105 countries, high download speeds, and strong security features. It includes a Lightway protocol, split tunneling, and Advanced Protection, along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Other notable VPNs include Private Internet Access, which supports P2P on all servers in 91 countries and offers a SOCKS5 proxy; CyberGhost, with torrent-optimized servers in over 85 countries; NordVPN, known for its advanced security features and support for torrenting in over 110 countries; and Surfshark, which provides automatic IP rotation in 49+ countries. The testing methodology focused on reliable P2P support, strong security measures, fast download speeds, user-friendly apps, and value for money.

TrendTechie

June 26, 2025

Юзеры с запада нашли способ уклонятся от штрафов за торренты

Western users have discovered a technique for downloading torrents that helps evade warnings from internet service providers and financial penalties for copyright infringement. This method uses Google Colab with the aria2 downloader to mask the user's IP address. The process involves running programs in Google Colaboratory, which installs aria2 on a virtual machine, allowing users to download torrent files via magnet links. The downloads occur on Google’s servers, displaying a Google IP address to the torrent network. Files are stored in Google Drive for retrieval. Although this method conceals the user's IP address, downloading copyrighted materials remains illegal in many jurisdictions.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

Russia Launches National Messenger App with Government Integration | Ukraine news

On June 24, Vladimir Putin established a "national messenger" in Russia through a decree, which was published on the official legal information portal. The service will be built on domestic software and aims to attract over 500,000 daily users. It is designed for messaging and voice calls in Russian and other languages spoken in the Russian Federation, and will support advertising in these languages. The platform will integrate with the Russian digital services portal “Gosuslugi,” allowing access to official documents. Features will include electronic document signing and serve as a communication hub for students and educators. The State Duma passed a bill advocating for the messenger on June 10, emphasizing the need for a multifunctional information exchange service. Anton Gorelkin stated that the introduction of the messenger would not block Telegram in Russia if it complies with legal requirements. Russia has imposed restrictions on social networks and messaging platforms, including limiting access to X (formerly Twitter) in 2021 and banning Facebook and Instagram in March 2022. In August 2024, Roskomnadzor blocked the Signal messenger for violations of Russian legislation.

TrendTechie

June 24, 2025

В Греции осудили мужчину за торрент-сайт, закрывшийся 10 лет назад

A Greek court has sentenced the former administrator of the torrent site P2Planet.net to five years in prison, a €10,000 fine, and €1,800 in court costs. This is the first case in Greece where an individual has been imprisoned for file sharing via BitTorrent. The 59-year-old man operated the site from 2011 to 2014, which had over 44,000 registered users and approximately 14,000 torrents. The case was initiated after a police raid over ten years ago, and the verdict was delivered by the Piraeus Appeals Court after years of legal proceedings. Greek authorities are intensifying efforts against copyright infringement, with previous sentences given to administrators of other torrent sites.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

Mario Kart World just launched with Switch 2, but PC gamers are playing Mario Kart 64 instead thanks to a “many-year” fan project that doesn’t contain Nintendo’s original code

Over two weeks after the launch of the Switch 2 and the latest Mario Kart installment, a fan-made port of Mario Kart 64, called SpaghettiKart, has been released for PC. This port was created by fans who reverse-engineered the original game, ensuring it does not use any code from the Nintendo 64 version to avoid legal issues. SpaghettiKart is available for download on GitHub and is still a work-in-progress, with some features not yet fully supported and a rare crash issue for a small number of users. The project follows the decompilation of the classic game and is part of a trend of retro titles being ported by fans.

AppWizard

June 21, 2025

Understanding Android 14 Privacy Changes: Key Insights

The introduction of Android 14 features a sophisticated permissions model that requests app permissions only when needed, allowing users to choose between "approximate" and "precise" location access. Apps handling transactions must justify their need for real-time access. Background location usage must be disclosed in Play Store listings, and developers must complete Data Safety Forms. Android enforces scoped storage, isolating apps in sandboxed environments to reduce data leakage risks. Visual indicators for microphone and camera usage were introduced in Android 12, and Android 14 requires apps to specify the nature of access. In-app transactions in gaming apps must meet elevated security standards, including encryption and biometric logins, and undergo audits under PCI DSS. Background access for location services requires clear justification, and developers must submit a Permission Declaration Form. Google Play mandates disclosure of third-party SDKs and their data practices. User awareness is emphasized through concise permission dialogs and Data Safety summaries in Play Store listings. Secure login protocols like OAuth 2.0 are required for sensitive applications, with stronger encryption mandates. Apps for children must comply with COPPA and GDPR-K regulations, with manual reviews by the Play Store. Google's Privacy Sandbox initiative aims to enhance privacy in advertising practices, with expected rollout in 2024.

AppWizard

June 20, 2025

Dino Patti says Playdead is taking him to court

Dino Patti, co-founder of Playdead, is facing legal action from the company following a LinkedIn post he made about the game Limbo, which included an image that Playdead claims is unauthorized and owned by co-founder Arnt Jenson. Playdead is demanding 500,000 DKK (approximately ,000) in compensation from Patti. The tensions between Patti and Playdead have escalated since the launch of Inside in 2016, with Patti's credit recognition diminishing over time. Playdead's legal team has warned Patti that his use of the company's assets and disclosure of inside knowledge could constitute a breach of confidentiality. Patti has expressed a willingness to be transparent about the situation and indicated he may release materials related to Playdead's early years.

AppWizard

June 18, 2025

Epic Games Store Is Removing Controversial Game From Everyone’s Library

Epic Games will remove the game Dark and Darker from all player accounts on November 1, 2025. The game was previously taken off the Epic Games Store in March 2023 due to legal disputes between its developer, Ironmace, and Nexon. Players have been notified via email about the removal, which will make the game unplayable on the Epic Games Store. Players can no longer purchase in-game items like Redstone Shards or Legendary Status upgrades, but previously purchased items can be used until the removal date. Refunds will be issued for the Legendary Status upgrade, but not for Redstone Shards. Players who do not receive refunds by July 1 are advised to contact player support. The future of Dark and Darker is uncertain due to ongoing legal proceedings.