In June 2023, a fan chucked a phone on stage giving the “I’m Good (Blue)” singer a black eye. She now has a zero-tolerance party for throwing things at her shows.
In June 2023, a fan chucked a phone on stage giving the “I’m Good (Blue)” singer a black eye. She now has a zero-tolerance party for throwing things at her shows.
There’s a new exploit making its way through TikTok and it has already compromised the official accounts of Paris Hilton, CNN and others, as reported by Forbes. It’s spread via direct message and doesn’t require a download, click or any form of response, beyond opening the chat. It’s currently unclear how many accounts have been affected.
Even weirder? The hacked accounts aren’t really doing anything. A source within TikTok told Forbes that these impacted accounts “do not appear to be posting content”. TikTok issued a statement to The Verge, saying that it is “aware of a potential exploit targeting a number of brand and celebrity accounts.” The social media giant is “working directly with affected account owners to restore access.”
Semafor recently reported that CNN’s TikTok had been hacked, which forced the network to disable the account. It’s unclear if this is the very same hack that has gone on to infect other big-time accounts. The news organization said that it was “working with TikTok on the backend on additional security measures.”
CNN staffers told Semafor that the news entity had “grown lax” regarding digital safety practices, with one employee noting that dozens of colleagues had access to the official TikTok account. However, another network source suggested that the breach wasn’t the result of someone gaining access from CNN’s end. That’s about all we know for now. We’ll update this post when more news comes in.
Of course, this isn’t the first big TikTok hack. Back in 2023, the company acknowledged that around 700,000 accounts in Turkey had been compromised due to insecure SMS channels involved with its two-factor authentication. Researchers at Microsoft discovered a vulnerability in 2022 that allowed hackers to overtake accounts with just a single click. Later that same year, an alleged security breach allegedly impacted more than a billion users.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/malicious-code-has-allegedly-compromised-tiktok-accounts-belonging-to-cnn-and-paris-hilton-174000353.html?src=rss
A group of current and former employees from leading AI companies like OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic has signed an open letter asking for greater transparency and protection from retaliation for those who speak out about the potential concerns of AI. “So long as there is no effective government oversight of these corporations, current and former employees are among the few people who can hold them accountable to the public,” the letter, which was published on Tuesday, says. “Yet broad confidentiality agreements block us from voicing our concerns, except to the very companies that may be failing to address these issues.”
The letter comes just a couple of weeks after a Vox investigation revealed OpenAI had attempted to muzzle recently departing employees by forcing them to chose between signing an aggressive non-disparagement agreement, or risk losing their vested equity in the company. After the report, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that he had been genuinely embarrassed” by the provision and claimed it has been removed from recent exit documentation, though it’s unclear if it remains in force for some employees.
The 13 signatories include former OpenAI employees Jacob Hinton, William Saunders and Daniel Kokotajlo. Kokotajlo said that he resigned from the company after losing confidence that it would responsibly build artificial general intelligence, a term for AI systems that is as smart or smarter than humans. The letter — which was endorsed by prominent AI experts Geoffrey Hinton, Yoshua Bengio and Stuart Russell — expresses grave concerns over the lack of effective government oversight for AI and the financial incentives driving tech giants to invest in the technology. The authors warn that the unchecked pursuit of powerful AI systems could lead to the spread of misinformation, exacerbation of inequality and even the loss of human control over autonomous systems, potentially resulting in human extinction.
“There is a lot we don’t understand about how these systems work and whether they will remain aligned to human interests as they get smarter and possibly surpass human-level intelligence in all areas,” wrote Kokotajlo on X. “Meanwhile, there is little to no oversight over this technology. Instead, we rely on the companies building them to self-govern, even as profit motives and excitement about the technology push them to ‘move fast and break things.’ Silencing researchers and making them afraid of retaliation is dangerous when we are currently some of the only people in a position to warn the public.”
OpenAI, Google and Anthropic did not immediately respond to request for comment from Engadget. In a statement sent to Bloomberg, an OpenAI spokesperson said the company is proud of its “track record providing the most capable and safest AI systems” and it believes in its “scientific approach to addressing risk.” It added: “We agree that rigorous debate is crucial given the significance of this technology and we’ll continue to engage with governments, civil society and other communities around the world.”
The signatories are calling on AI companies to commit to four key principles:
Refraining from retaliating against employees who voice safety concerns
Supporting an anonymous system for whistleblowers to alert the public and regulators about risks
Allowing a culture of open criticism
And avoiding non-disparagement or non-disclosure agreements that restrict employees from speaking out
The letter comes amid growing scrutiny of OpenAI’s practices, including the disbandment of its “superalignment” safety team and the departure of key figures like co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, who criticized the company’s prioritization of “shiny products” over safety.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/former-openai-google-and-anthropic-workers-are-asking-ai-companies-for-more-whistleblower-protections-175916744.html?src=rss
Victoria Justice took time for herself after her fame on Nickelodeon.
Victoria Justice took time for herself after her fame on Nickelodeon.
A new report claims that Brad is ‘upset’ that his daughter filed to drop his last name from hers.
A new report claims that Brad is ‘upset’ that his daughter filed to drop his last name from hers.
E3 might be dead and buried but there’s still a ton of gaming news to look forward to in the coming days as Summer Game Fest 2024 is standing in the old expo’s stead. SGF has gradually taken on more importance over the last few years as an umbrella for all the various game showcases that take place each June.
From June 7 until June 10, a string of SGF events will highlight dozens of games. The big announcements will all be livestreamed for you to watch at home but there’s also an in-person component to SGF. Engadget will have boots on the ground to bring you some extra insight as well as our impressions of many of the games featured throughout the event.
For those of you who’ll be enjoying the festivities from afar, here’s the lowdown on how to watch Summer Game Fest 2024 and what to expect.
How to watch: YouTube and Twitch
We’ve seen some major announcements at the two-hour tentpole SGF showcase over the last few years, but it seems the 2024 edition will be more muted. SGF organizer and host Geoff Keighley has tried to temper expectations by saying that most of what’s shown this year will be new info on previously announced games.
He has confirmed that Monster Hunter Wilds, Kingdom Come 2: Deliverance and Metaphor: Refantazio (a fantasy JRPG from the team behind Persona) will get some time in the spotlight. Also on deck are the release date for free co-op shooter The First Descendant, a peek at 3D fighter Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero and a look at the Among Us animated series.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Kingdom Hearts IV, The Wolf Among Us 2 and Ken Levine’s definitely-not-BioShock followup to BioShock Judas will not be featured. There will be some fresh reveals, though maybe try to keep your hype levels in check for this one. “There definitely are things that are being announced but this is not a show that has a lot of like ‘coming in 2026’ or ‘2027’, or teasers for games that are years and years out,” Keighley said.
Chances of a Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance: Moderate.
How to watch: YouTube (the same stream as SGF Live above) and Twitch
Day of the Devs is a reliably great showcase of upcoming indie games. The team always manages to assemble a collection of diverse and intriguing titles. Last year’s Game Awards edition, for instance, included peeks at Open Roads, Crow Country and Mars After Midnight, all of which we’ve enjoyed so far this year. I inevitably end up adding at least four or five games from Day of the Devs to my Steam wishlist, so it’s a must watch.
Chances of a Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance: Team Cherry is an indie studio, but nope.
How to watch: YouTube (the same stream as SGF Live above) and Twitch
Devolver Digital’s annual helping of chaos is once again upon us. The publisher’s reliably kooky Direct stream will include details on at least a few games. Here’s hoping we get release dates for The Plucky Squire and Skate Story, the latter which has been at the top of my to-play list for a couple of years. Both titles are supposed to be arriving in 2024, so now would be a great time for an update. Keep your fingers crossed for details on man-baby walking simulator Baby Steps amid the “exciting new reveals” Devolver has planned.
Chances of a Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance: Highly unlikely.
How to watch: YouTube and Twitch (ASL option)
This could well be the biggest showcase of the week in terms of major game announcements. It’s the first time that Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard have all been part of one of these events.
Microsoft has quite a few games and major updates on its 2024 slate. We’ll likely get details and or release dates on Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Starfield and Diablo IV expansions and the next season of Overwatch 2. Hopefully we’ll get a glimpse of Arkane Lyon’s Blade game too. Expect to hear about more titles that are on the way to Game Pass, and possibly additional first-party games making the leap over to PlayStation and Switch.
For many, the main event will take place after the main showcase as we’ll learn all about Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The next installment of the series is likely set during the Gulf War. It’s the first Call of Duty title that will be available on Game Pass on its release day. It marks a major risk for Microsoft in foregoing sales of boxed copies of the game in favor of a boost in subscriber numbers.
Chances of a Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance: Medium to high. The last we heard much about the game was at this showcase in 2022.
How to watch: YouTube (with English subtitles, audio description and American Sign Language options) and Twitch
Monday is going to be a busy ol’ day for the Engadget crew as we’ll be rolling straight from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote into Ubisoft Forward. The publisher has a couple of major games lined up for the rest of the year in Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and it’s promising “exclusive looks” at both.
XDefiant will get the same treatment. We’ll probably hear about what’s next for some of Ubisoft’s other ongoing games, such as Rainbow Six: Siege and Skull and Bones, and perhaps some future plans for The Division. Ubisoft Forward will have a preshow and a postshow, so there’s lots ahead from the company.
Chances of a Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance: Unless [shudders] Ubisoft suddenly buys Team Cherry, nil.
How to watch: YouTube
The house that Mario built has assured the world that there will be a Nintendo Direct sometime in June, but it has yet to announce the particulars. One thing that will not be a factor in this showcase is the successor to the Nintendo Switch. While the company has pledged to announce its next flagship system by next March, it will not be doing so here.
Chances of a Hollow Knight: Silksong appearance: High, especially if Xbox doesn’t feature it.
And that’s not all, folks. There are several other showcases taking place over the coming days. Atlus is hosting a YouTube stream dedicated to Metaphor: ReFantazio on Friday at 9PM ET. Saturday in particular has a bunch to check out, including the Future of Play Direct, Wholesome Direct (both of which feature family-friendly games), the Latin American Games Showcase and a Women-Led Games stream. These will run throughout the day, starting at 11AM ET. On Sunday, the PC Gaming Show will follow the Call of Duty Direct at 4PM ET.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/summer-game-fest-2024-what-to-expect-and-how-to-watch-games-revealed-live-165058094.html?src=rss
For the second time this year, Behaviour Interactive has announced a round of layoffs. The Dead by Daylight maker says it will dismiss as many as 95 employees, 70 of whom are based in its home city of Montreal. The company also has studios in Toronto, Seattle, the UK and the Netherlands. It previously shed 45 jobs in January.
Behaviour said in a press release that its ranks had grown from 575 to 1,300 over the last five years, buoyed by the success of Dead by Daylight and its service business (it works “alongside the industry’s global leaders to develop hundreds of high-quality titles”). The company says neither the service business nor DbD development will be affected by the layoffs.
It notes that the high level of competition in the gaming space has led it to narrow its focus on its core strengths, with the restructuring process leading to the layoffs. The company will concentrate on horror games and working with its development partners. It also claims it will “explore the possibilities of location-based entertainment,” without detailing what that means.
This is the second blow for Montreal’s gaming sector in as many days. On Monday, Just Cause creator Avalanche closed studios in the city and New York, laying off 50 people as a result. Avalanche had only opened the Montreal office in October after buying Monster Closet Games.
The gaming industry at large is in a state of turmoil. The estimated number of video game layoffs so far this year sits at 10,300, which is already nearing the 2023 total of around 10,500.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dead-by-daylight-maker-behaviour-announces-its-second-round-of-layoffs-this-year-170725177.html?src=rss
Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) is back for more charity speed runs of classic and contemporary games. The 2024 edition of the marathon will stream from Minneapolis from June 30 to July 6 as turbo-gamers take on Alan Wake II, Halo 3 and the Super Mario RPG remake (among many others). The event’s first speedrunning dog will even make his triumphant return, taking on an SNES baseball game from 1994.
The festivities start with a pre-show event at 12:30 PM ET on June 30, followed by a run of the 1997 platform game Yoshi’s Story at 1 PM. The weeklong event wraps on July 6 with a quick play-through of the new Super Mario RPG remake for Switch at 11:05 PM, followed by a special finale.
The rest of the week is filled with old-school classics, recent AAA titles, oddball novelty games and excruciatingly difficult custom mods. The latter can be especially fun to watch as gamers execute well-timed jumps that would take most of us hours of practice to perform once, only they do a series of them on the first try on cue in front of a live audience.
A few runs worth eyeing include a late-night Alan Wake 2 speed-through (July 2 at 12:49 AM ET), The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (July 4 at 10:35 AM), Halo 3 (July 4 at 7 PM), Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (July 6 at 1:21 AM) and Super Mario World (July 5 at 5:50 PM). If the original SNES Mario adventure isn’t your thing, MrMightyMouse will perform a run of the game’s ROM mod Grand Poo World 3 on July 5 at 11:26 PM ET.
Peanut Butter the Shiba Inu, forever etched in the GDQ record books with his run of Gyromite at Awesome Games Done Quick 2024, will return at this summer’s event. He’ll help his human companion, JSR_, play the SNES title Ken Griffey, Jr. Presents Major League Baseball on July 4 at 8:35 PM. Who needs fireworks when you can watch the grand spectacle of a gamer dog playing a sports title from the 16-bit era for ham and cheese?
The event will raise money for Doctors Without Borders. The nonprofit offers medical and humanitarian care to people in over 72 countries affected by crises like war, disease, natural disasters, and inadequate healthcare. Last year’s SGDQ brought in over $2.2 million. The GDQ series has raised over $45 million for various charities.
You can check out the week’s schedule here and stream SGDQ 2024 on the Games Done Quick Twitch channel, which is also embedded below. The fun kicks off on June 30 at 12:30 PM ET.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-summer-games-done-quick-2024-172007208.html?src=rss
The actress revealed that she’s pregnant with her fourth child in a short post on social media, announcing that she’d be stepping away.
The actress revealed that she’s pregnant with her fourth child in a short post on social media, announcing that she’d be stepping away.
Millie Bobby Brown is enjoying her newlywed life with Jake Bongiovi.
Millie Bobby Brown is enjoying her newlywed life with Jake Bongiovi.
