Online Safety Act: A Big Change for Online Games
You might have heard about the new Online Safety Act in the UK. It’s causing quite a stir, especially for online games like Urban Dead. This game has been around for 20 years, but it had to shut down because of this new law. Let’s find out what’s happening.
What’s the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act is a new set of rules to make the internet safer. It’s like having a referee for online games and social media. This referee, called Ofcom, makes sure these places are safe and don’t have bad stuff like hate speech or illegal things[1].
Here’s what the act does:
- Makes sure games and social media do risk checks to find and stop bad content[1].
- Gives Ofcom the power to check if games are following the rules and even visit their offices[5].
- Has big fines for games that don’t follow the rules, up to 10% of their global money or £18 million[5].
Why did Urban Dead shut down?
Urban Dead is a game where players can make their own stuff and interact with each other. This might have made Ofcom worry about bad content and user safety. Even though we don’t know the details, it’s likely that Urban Dead had trouble following the new rules[2].
Balancing Safety and Fun
The Online Safety Act wants to keep players safe, especially kids. But it also needs to let players have fun and express themselves. Some people worry that the act might stop small games and communities from having fun online[1][3].
What’s Next for Online Games?
The shut down of Urban Dead shows that the Online Safety Act is bringing big changes to online games. Game makers and service providers need to understand and follow these new rules. The way we play and what we can play online will change because of this act.
Remember, these changes are happening to make the internet a safer place for everyone. But it’s important to find the right balance between safety and fun.
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Sources:
– jdsupra.com
– birkettlong.co.uk
– cms-lawnow.com