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At the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings today, GOP Sen. Josh Hawley demanded that Mark Zuckerberg stand and face the families whose kids were harmed by online abuse — and he did. The Senate hearing was contentious, yet Zuckerberg stood and faced the families watching the hearing: “No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invested so much,” he said. Parents and other family members were holding up photos of their children as Zuckerberg spoke.

 
For the first time, five major social media platform giants were in Washington. CEOs of X, Snap, and Discord, Linda Yaccarino and Jason Citron, will testify before Congress. Speakers include Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, who have both addressed lawmakers before.
It was reported that all of the CEOs exited the room quickly after the hearing
It was reported that all of the CEOs exited the room quickly and quietly after the hearing — taking no questions and leaving through a side door. But what type of legislation will it take to pass both houses of Congress? As pointed out, Washington has been discussing these issues for years with nothing done about it. One notable comment from Klobuchar, “It’s been 28 years since the internet. We haven’t passed any of these bills … The reason they haven’t passed is because of the power of your companies, so let’s be really, really clear about that what you say matters. Your words matter.” — Klobuchar, on the lack of legislation.
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/live-blog/senate-hearing-online-child-safety-big-tech-live-updates-rcna136235/rcrd32776?canonicalCard=true
Zuckerberg pushed back on Sen. Blackburn’s comment about “Meta’s social media sites are trying to be “the premier sex trafficking site in the country.” Zuckerberg: “That’s ridiculous.”
However, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt said, “There is a consensus today that didn’t exist, say 10 years ago, that there is a profound threat to children to mental health, to safety.” The statement gave hope to many in the room. After questioning the CEOs about layoffs, Welch noted that it is alarming that the reductions have been on those very people who were protecting things.
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eBay, one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, has agreed to pay $59 million to settle allegations by the U.S. Department of Justice, as per the Wall Street Journal. The federal government accused eBay of selling thousands of pill presses and encapsulating machines, which is a violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
The settlement, announced on Wednesday, also includes eBay’s commitment to enhance its compliance program. This move is aimed at preventing the sale of equipment that can be used in the illegal manufacture of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
The Justice Department’s investigation revealed that numerous buyers of pill presses on eBay also purchased counterfeit molds, stamps, or dies. These tools are often used to produce pills that closely resemble those made by legitimate pharmaceutical companies. Many of these buyers have been prosecuted for their involvement in trafficking counterfeit pills.
Despite the settlement, eBay has denied being subject to the Controlled Substances Act and has not admitted any liability regarding the allegations. The company’s response to the settlement agreement has not been publicly disclosed as of yet.
This settlement marks a significant milestone for the Justice Department, being the fourth-largest of its kind under the Controlled Substances Act and the first-ever with an e-commerce platform. The case highlights the challenges and responsibilities of online marketplaces in regulating the sale of potentially illegal items.
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Xbox gamers are set for a bumper month in February, following the bonanza list of new games coming to the service.
As confirmed by Pure Xbox, 35 new titles will be available to play, with a selection of them highlighted as the top picks, and three games have been added to the Xbox game pass service.
The titles are Persona 3 Reload, a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era with cutting-edge graphics and gameplay. Four days later comes the release of the dungeon exploring, Anuchard, followed by the co-op cooking room PlateUp! the following week.
How does Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass work?
Xbox Game Pass gives gamers a diverse game library accessible across Xbox consoles, PCs, and compatible devices.
Subscribers enjoy a constantly refreshed selection of AAA and indie titles, making it a versatile gaming solution. This subscription model has revolutionized the gaming industry, offering a cost-effective and flexible way for players to access a wide range of gaming experiences without needing to buy individual titles.
It’s not without drawbacks, however. The rotating library, which sees games removed or added sporadically, is not for everyone, and this lack of ownership may be a concern for those who prefer to have a permanent collection.
Top Xbox releases for February 2024
The review of the upcoming releases selected seven games as the pick of an extensive range of new additions for the Xbox, giving gamers an excellent choice and plenty to get stuck into.
Whatever your preferred genre, you are likely to be enticed by one of the following:

Persona 3 Reload

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered

Skull and Bones

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster

Can you brave the Dark Hour?
Find out in Persona 3 Reload, available February 2: https://t.co/ZTca7bR6dO pic.twitter.com/KKftCGGSe9
— Xbox (@Xbox) January 31, 2024

All new Xbox games confirmed for February 2024

Knights of Braveland – 1 Feb
Adrian’s Tale – 2 Feb
Draw Rider Remake – 2 Feb
Dr. Frank’s Build-A-Boyfriend – 2 Feb
Dreamland Solitaire – 2 Feb
GINSHA – 2 Feb
Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash – 2 Feb
Mighty Aphid 2 – 2 Feb
Persona 3 Reload – 2 Feb
Project Downfall – 2 Feb
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League – 2 Feb
AeternoBlade II: Infinity – 6 Feb
Alisa – 6 Feb
Cannibal Abduction – 8 Feb
The Inquisitor – 8 Feb
Airhead – 12 Feb
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – 13 Feb
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore – 14 Feb
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered – 14 Feb
Gunvolt Records Cychronicle – 15 Feb
PlateUp! – 15 Feb
Senshi Sokoban Quest – 16 Feb
Skull and Bones – 16 Feb
Balatro – 20 Feb
qomp2 – 20 Feb
The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout Anthology – 20 Feb
Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters – 20 Feb
Slave Zero X – 21 Feb
Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator – 22 Feb
King Arthur: Knight’s Tale – 22 Feb
Flooded – 23 Feb
Promenade – 23 Feb
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake – 28 Feb
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster – 28 Feb
Welcome to ParadiZe – 29 Feb

 
Featured Image Credit: Roman Odintsov/Pexels
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YouTuber Toasted Shoes got a DMCA notice after uploading a trailer of Palworld to Pokemon mod on Twitter. He said in a video, “We were planning on releasing the mod for free on Nexus.” This will, clearly, no longer be possible — but the video still hit 100,000 views before it was taken down. PCgamer said that Toasted Shoes team of modders is not to be stopped, and they have “devised an infernal concoction of bootleg Poléman — straight from the pits of Hades.” The mod seems to be designed to “yank the chain” of the lawyers and fans alike.
Many likely noticed the 1.3 Steam update for Palworld last week, with over eight million players finding out the the infinite loading screen bug got worse. Thanks to Pocketpair, an update patch was deployed.
Using a mod that is “not a reference to anything, I promise,” the YouTuber lets viewers share the adventures of the “teenage boy in cap” as he embarks on multiple hunts and brings down legally distinct species. The new character looks like it is designed after ToastedShoes himself and wears a red and white cap. Firefox, Yellow Rat, Braided Sheep, and everyone’s favorite — Fat Cock –are among this “cute” bunch of creatures. Some say this mod has turned out worse than Pikachu carrying a pickaxe. However, there are a few really unique animals that were created expressly to avoid looking like props from a certain Nintendo-published series.

It features some amazing pocket sized creatures, such as Yellow Rat! pic.twitter.com/V5Saw3AIUI
— Toasted (@ToastedShoes) January 30, 2024

Although Palworld’s derivative Pal designs have drawn criticism for being occasionally too similar for comfort, they are nevertheless attractive. Instead of being strapped together with royalty-free models and released onto unsuspecting audiences, they were actually created and designed by someone, separate from all the” rules.”
The teenage boy in the red and white cap moves through his ordeals and has a climactic battle with Saul Goodman. Saul Goodman conjures a “cease” letter out of a jar. It’s sort of a reskin of the game’s Syndicate Tower battle with Rayne, riding up on Grizzbolt.
If you haven’t already become addicted to the Palworld platform, you will — here’s how to join. It is delightfully fresh and fun, and you may want to look for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for two years. And, most importantly, here’s how to level up, fast.
More Palworld news you might like:

How to play Palworld in VR
Palworld becomes only second Steam game to reach 2m concurrent players
Are Lucky Pals in Palworld the same as Shiny Pokemon?
Is Palworld “ripoff nonsense”? Former Pokemon legal boss thinks so

Featured Image Credit: Palworld; Toasted Shoes
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Microsoft has announced the arrival of the latest collection of Xbox Wireless Controllers, the Vapor series in Xbox Design Lab and the Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor Special Edition as revealed on Wednesday by the video game giant.
In this set, the top case on each device features a dynamic pattern unique to every controller. Those familiar with the Xbox Wireless Controller – Stormcloud Vapor Special Edition, will recollect the effect created, with a misty pattern weaving a textured finish to cherish.
Six top case options are available on the Vapor series with Xbox Design Lab, giving gamers access to some of the most unique controller device designs around for customization.
If bold and bright is your thing, Xbox has you covered here with a range of swirling, stylish hues.
For a green preference, the Electric Vapor top case merges the bold Electric Volt and the iconic Velocity Green, while the Nocturnal Vapor top case brings a contrast with its Dark Green and Grey swirl. Do you prefer something more fiery? You can turn up the heat with the Fire Vapor top, looking resplendent with a fiery red and orange swirl.
Or how about a cool blue with the Stormcloud Vapor, carrying a sleek blue swirl design? There should be something for almost everyone, including pink and purple offerings. The range includes a Cyber Vapor top case, showing off a striking pink and purple swirl, or change it around on the Dream Vapor top case with its soft pink and soft purple swirl.
In addition to the Vapor top cases, further personalization options are available from a choice of button and thumbstick styles. You can put your own mark on the designs with the extension of metallic triggers and D-pads, rubberized side and back grips.
You can even add a personalized engraving for a special finishing touch.
Enter the Dream Vapor
The other choice from the launch is the newest Special Edition design, the Xbox Wireless Controller – Dream Vapor.
This colorway utilises the pink and purple top case from the Vapor collection, for the introduction of a Special Edition controller that shows off a great offering from this device.
The subtle pink-purple swirl is extended all over the design, appearing on the soft pink thumbsticks, through to the bumpers, triggers, and hybrid D-pad.
Further unique elements are exclusive to this Special Edition controller whilst all the entries within the Vapor Collection retain all the added features on the latest generation of Xbox controllers, including a battery life of up to 40 hours of gameplay.
The controllers provide access to your gaming via the Bluetooth and Xbox Wireless connection, to play on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, iOS and Android devices.
Images: Xbox.com
 
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