Online Safety Act: A Big Change for Online Games
Guess what? A new law in the UK, called the Online Safety Act, has made a big change in the world of online games. A popular game called Urban Dead, which has been around for 20 years, had to shut down because of this new law. This shows us that this law can have a big impact on online games and communities.
What’s the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act is a new law that wants to make the internet a safer place. It tells companies that show things online, like social media and search engines, to check for and stop bad things, like illegal stuff or things that hurt people. A group called Ofcom will make sure these companies follow the rules.
Why did Urban Dead have to shut down?
Urban Dead is a game where players can make their own stuff and talk to each other. This might have made some people worry about bad things happening in the game. The people who run the game might have had a hard time following the new rules of the Online Safety Act, so they had to shut it down.
What does the Online Safety Act say?
- Risk Assessments: All companies that the law applies to must check for and stop bad things by a certain date.[1]
- Ofcom’s Power: Ofcom can ask for information, check if companies are following the rules, and even go to their offices.[5]
- Penalties: If companies don’t follow the rules, they can be fined a lot of money.[5]
Keeping Us Safe, But Also Free?
The Online Safety Act wants to keep us safe from bad things online, but it also wants to make sure we can say what we want. Some people worry that it might stop us from saying things we should be able to say, and that it might be hard for small online games and communities to follow the rules.
What Does This Mean for Online Games?
The shutdown of Urban Dead shows us that the Online Safety Act can make big changes in the world of online games. Game makers and people who run online services need to understand and follow these new rules. The way we play and use the internet might change because of this law.
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Sources:
– jdsupra.com
– birkettlong.co.uk
– cms-lawnow.com