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Joined 3 years ago
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Cake day: July 7th, 2023

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  • The Palantir connection isn’t the only bad bit here:

    Sure enough, Discord’s support article describing its age verification process now features a disclaimer informing UK users that they “may be part of an experiment where your information will be processed by an age-assurance vendor, Persona.” And while Discord had previously insisted that facial age verification recordings would only be stored and processed locally, the notice about Persona says that “the information you submit will be temporarily stored for up to 7 days, then deleted.”

    They tried so hard to convince people the verification would be safe, and they’re already experimenting with making it less safe.








  • Now, third-party games can offer premium in-game items and effects, with developers pocketing 37% of the proceeds — temporarily doubled to 74% for 12 months.

    Epic, the company that has been fighting Apple over app store commissions, intends to leave developers who create games inside Fortnite with just 37% of the money they bring in.

    This bit from the IGN report linked in the article highlights the bullshit of microtransaction pricing:

    Steal the Brainrot’s 4,900 V-Buck “Present Rot” bundle has also come under fire — not only for its price, but for it being advertised as a limited-time discount on its usual 5,400 V-Buck cost. One of the constraints Epic Games has placed on third-party microtransactions is a 5,000 V-Buck upper limit for any individual item — meaning this item’s saving is discounted from a price that couldn’t actually be sold.






  • Google has announced that, starting in 2026/2027, all apps on “certified” Android devices will require the developer to submit personal identity details directly to Google.

    The requirement is that developers submit their own personal identity details to Google, not users’ personal identity details. It’s explained on the linked site:

    In August 2025, Google announced that starting next year, it will no longer be possible to develop apps for the Android platform without first registering centrally with Google. This registration will involve:

    Paying a fee to Google
    Agreeing to Google’s Terms and Conditions
    Providing government identification
    Uploading evidence of the developer’s private signing key
    Listing all current and future application identifiers