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European Union (EU) regulators have confirmed another investigation against Meta over concerns the social media giant has potentially breached online content rules on child safety.
As part of the Digital Services Act (DSA) which took effect last year in the European bloc, companies are compelled to adhere to act on harmful content or face potential, substantial fines.
Specifically, Facebook and Instagram are being probed to determine if they are having “negative effects” on the “physical and mental health” of children.
On Thursday (May 16), the European Commission confirmed it had opened formal proceedings, with the EU executive body also wary that Meta is also not doing enough on age assurance and verification methods.
“The Commission is concerned that the systems of both Facebook and Instagram, including their algorithms, may stimulate behavioural addictions in children, as well as create so-called ‘rabbit-hole effects’,” said the statement.

Today we open formal #DSA investigation against #Meta.
We are not convinced that Meta has done enough to comply with the DSA obligations — to mitigate the risks of negative effects to the physical and mental health of young Europeans on its platforms Facebook and Instagram. pic.twitter.com/WxPwgE5Opc
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) May 16, 2024

EU challenges tech industry to comply with DSA
Several big tech firms have been targeted by the EU for potential breaches of the DSA (DSA), which threatens financial punishment of up to 6% of annual global turnover.
Meta, which also owns WhatsApp and Threads, insists it has “spent a decade developing more than 50 tools and policies” to protect children. “This is a challenge the whole industry is facing, and we look forward to sharing details of our work with the European Commission,” added a company spokesperson.
The ‘rabbit-hole effect’ alluded to above, refers to how algorithms work on modern social media apps, with a user viewing one piece of content leading on to another of a similar nature. This can become a pattern over an extended session of scrolling or from repeated suggestions of content to watch.
In the UK, regulators are also closely monitoring how the technology works with the UK communications watchdog Ofcom warning algorithms pushing harmful content are causing concern.
The body is preparing to enforce the Online Safety Act, as it revealed many young children are using social media accounts, sometimes with parental knowledge, despite the minimum user age being set at 13.
Image credit: Ideogram
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A coalition agreement between four political parties in the Netherlands may raise the gambling tax to more than 35 per cent.
According to the Netherlands-based news agency CasinoNieuws.nl, the budgetary appendix of the coalition agreement proposes an increase in the gambling tax in the country from 30.5 per cent to 37.8 per cent, depending on the agreement’s implementation. The increase would take effect from 2025.
This adjustment would bring an additional €202 million ($219.6 million) annually for the state treasury. The political parties involved in the agreement are the Party for Freedom (PVV), the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the New Social Contract (NSC), and the Farmer–Citizen Movement (BBB).
The Dutch leader Geert Wilders agreed on the basis of his first right-wing coalition government on Wednesday (May 15), six months after his shock win of a quarter of parliamentary seats for his party PVV. However, he will not become the next Dutch prime minister, instead opting for an experimental ‘business government’ arrangement.
In November, seven parties aimed to raise an additional €200-400 million in state funds through a higher gambling tax.
The coalition agreement, named “Hope, Courage and Pride,” is scheduled to be unveiled today (16 May).
Ban on online gambling ads
In response to concerns about gambling, the Dutch House of Representatives voted to implement stringent bans on online gambling advertisements and what it categorizes as “high-risk” gambling activities, such as online slots.
Previously, the Netherlands had already prohibited untargeted gambling advertising. A new ban, effective from July 2023, extended these restrictions to include mass advertising through television, radio, and sports sponsorships. In 2024, the gambling tax had already been increased from 29.5 per cent to 30.5 per cent.
The House has now voted to completely ban online slots, prompted by worries about players’ inability to control the outcomes of these games. Socialist Party MP Michiel van Nispen spearheaded these legislative proposals.
While the House has approved these bans, their final implementation rests with Franc Weerwind, the Netherlands Minister for Legal Protection, who will review and decide on the legality of these changes.
The proposed bans have met with significant resistance from the gambling industry. The Netherlands Online Gambling Association (NOGA) argues that these restrictions might inadvertently push players towards unregulated black markets.
“A majority in the House of Representatives is taking an expensive gamble with online players who are now consciously opting for the legal offer,” De Goeij said.
“If we soon find that politicians have made the wrong decisions too hastily, the house will be responsible for the negative consequences.”

VAN Kansspelen heeft vol verbazing gereageerd op de plannen van het nieuwe kabinet om de kansspelbelasting te verhogen. De brancheorganisatie denkt dat een verhoging het einde betekent van de gereguleerde offline klein kansspelsector. https://t.co/axA7v2DZal
— CasinoNieuws.nl (@CasinoNieuws_nl) May 16, 2024

What does the rise in gambling tax mean for consumers in the Netherlands?
When someone wins a prize, gambling companies and lotteries take on the responsibility of paying the gambling tax, so the winner does not need to file a tax return for this. However, if the winnings are particularly large, the winner may be liable to pay wealth tax on them at a later date.
Featured image: Canva
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Deprived of actual news about the next mainline entry in the Pokémon series, wild fan speculation is well underway. Gamers are scouring the existing titles for hints on the next location within Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
A painting hanging in a building has caught people’s eye, sparking rumors that the next games might be set in Italy or Greece. The in-game text when looking at the picture says “This painting is entitled Street, Midday. It depicts a beautiful town in a different region.”
Italy or Greece region hint? byu/Highland_the_kitsune inPokemonScarletViolet

The phrasing “a different region” caught players’ attention – if the painting was of a previously explored region from the mega-popular franchise, the region’s name would likely have been specified rather than leaving it vague.
However, many commenters believe that a different part of the world like India or Brazil will be the location of the next game because there have been many European-themed regions already.
The excitement for Pokémon has rarely been higher – it was revealed recently that the Switch has been the most successful console for the franchise to date. The Pokémon Company has been known to seed its games and TV shows with hints and clues about what’s coming next and nothing big has been found in Scarlet & Violet yet, so gamers are going through the games with a fine-toothed comb for even a crumb of a hint.
Hints in previous Pokémon games
The Pokémon titles have been very clever in seeding clues and tips about where the franchise will be going next in the games.
The original Pokémon games were an unknown entity – Gamefreak and Nintendo had no way of knowing they would become one of the most popular and successful game properties in the world – so hints were not so prevalent in the first games, but the very first episode of the Pokémon anime includes a shot of legendary bird Ho-oh, from the second set of games.
In Pokémon Silver, the Pokédex entry for Corsola mentions “a south sea nation” where “people live in communities that are built on groups of these Pokémon.” In the third generation of games, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Pacifidlog town is exactly as described – a floating town built on top of a Corsola colony.
Possibly the most well-known hint is the one from Pokémon X and Y. A mysterious NPC gives the player a “strange souvenir” and hints that it’s from a new upcoming region. The item description reads “An ornament depicting a Pokémon that is venerated as a protector in some region far from Kalos.” It’s a clear reference to Pokémon Sun and Moon’s Alola region and the guardian Tapu Pokémon from there.
The post Does a Pokemon Scarlet & Violet painting hint at gen 10 region? appeared first on ReadWrite.

In the absence of overarching federal legislation, Colorado and Connecticut have taken the lead in regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in the United States.
Both states have embarked on bold plans to set a framework for the rapidly evolving technology but there has been formidable resistance from the industry as the debate continues to find a workable solution to ensure protections are in place yet enough space is left for AI to flourish.
Lawmakers know the tech will create opportunities but it is also a situation strewn with risk, requiring some tough decisions.
Connecticut had set the tone, followed by Colorado, but the Constitution State saw its efforts stifled after Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont raised the spectre of a veto with concerns the proposed legislation was too stringent.
The Governor stated, “It was just premature for Connecticut to jump way ahead of this. We’ve got to let the entrepreneurs have a little room to run so we see where this can take us, and be prepared when we have to rein something in.”
Initial efforts in the state were gathering pace after a first-in-the-nation law was passed as well as a data privacy agreement. A working group was set up including politicians and industry representatives with Sen. James Maroney leading the push. Some thought the main bill was too lax, while others wanted it reduced.
It had protections to mitigate AI’s risk of discriminating against people in healthcare, education, and housing, while it also sought to criminalize ‘deepfake’ porn. There was plenty to work with but ultimately, the proposal was torpedoed by Gov. Lamont. Efforts will continue to find common ground in Connecticut.
Colorado seeks to act on AI, from where Connecticut fell short
Meanwhile in Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis is under increasing pressure to follow a similar course of action.
The tech industry is lobbying hard for the Democrat figurehead to quash his own party’s proposed bill, with a key argument insisting a state-by-state approach is the wrong solution.
Colorado is seeking to learn and adapt from where Connecticut’s plans fell short, but the pressure is growing against lawmakers, as other states watch on.
“My fear is that it will absolutely stifle innovation for small companies like mine, I just don’t understand why we’re rushing (legislation)”, opined Kyle Shannon, founder of Colorado-based firm AI Salon.
In response, a co-sponsor of the bill, Democratic state Rep. Brianna Titone stated, “We had to start in a place and build a foundation, which I think this bill really does. It’s the first step in a long conversation that we will have with the tech industry and in the legislature.”
Governor Polis has until June 7 to act on the bill.
Image credit: Ideogram
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Ahead of the planned shutdown of the Xbox 360 store, around 60 titles are deeply discounted, with over 50 games at 80% or more off.
On July 29, 2024, the Xbox 360 Marketplace will shut down. It has been a source of games for users of the console for nearly 19 years. It will no longer be possible to purchase new games, DLC, or anything else that requires the marketplace.
If you’re still an Xbox 360 gamer, this is a fantastic opportunity to fill out your library for a fraction of the price it would normally cost, and to make sure you have plenty of games to keep you going after the marketplace closes its digital doors in July.
The full list of games and discounts can be found on Microsoft’s website, but here are the must-not-miss games you should grab before they go.
Thief (2014)

Discount: -85%
Price now: $2.24
Take charge of master thief Garret as he prowls his way through The City, stealing whatever isn’t nailed down (and some things that are). You’ll soon find yourself entangled in an uprising that threatens to tear the city apart and you must use all the tools and tricks of your trade to find a lasting peace. While it may not have seen the same critical acclaim as other games in the series, Thief (2014) is still a fun and engaging stealth action game worth your time.

The Escapists

Discount: -85%
Price now: $2.99
Gather your equipment, recruit your crew, and plan the perfect escape. The Escapists is a simulation game where you have to break out of prison. How you do it is up to you, and there are hundreds of options open to you. But don’t make it too obvious and tip off the guards. Play it cool. Pick your moment, and escape.

Far Cry 4

Discount: -80%
Price now: $5.99
Survive in the dangerous Kyrat, a region of the Himalayas under the thumb of a capricious warlord dictator. Explore a luscious open world, experience the myriad weapon options to find your favorite, and battle your way through enemy soldiers, and dangerous wildlife alike. Dive into as many side quests as you like, or follow the main quest through to its epic conclusion – this open-world exploration-driven RPG lets you play your own way.

Tomb Raider (2013) & Rise of the Tomb Raider

Discount: -75% / – 80%
Price now: $4.99 / $7.99
Okay, I am cramming two entries into one here, but if you think you’ll enjoy one of these, you should grab them both. Follow the legendary Lara Croft as she rises (see what I did there) from a frightened and unsure young woman into the epic explorer and survivor she becomes. Explore deadly tombs and discover ancient treasures in these unmissable action-adventure games.

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