PCG Article Epic FTC fine of 1/2 billion dollars for violating COPPA and using Dark Patterns in Fortnite

[mainer]

Epic slammed with half-a-billion dollar FTC fine in landmark ruling over Fortnite's failure to protect childrens' privacy | PC Gamer

I've never played Fortnite or any "free-to-play" game (nor will I) and I've always wondered what the attraction was, and how a company can make millions of dollars per year on a game that's "free-to-play". I found the article interesting because I wasn't aware of the extent of the practices used in those games to glean information and/or profit.

I know the article is only about Epic & Fortnite, but I've got to think that there are other "free-to-play" games that follow similar practices. Of particular interest to me was the Dark Patterns usage which seems to be intentionally designed to trick players, many or most of whom are underage, into spending money without knowing it. It just feels very predatory to me and the game itself only a front for the practices.

 

[Brian Boru]

I've always wondered … how a company can make millions of dollars per year on a game that's "free-to-play"

…is answered by…

the game itself only a front for the practices

Epic's problem was getting caught being too greedy. Social media and search engines do the same—anyone who thinks they, (mobile) games, and similar are free doesn't have much grasp of business or economics.

 

[Pifanjr]

Good to see yet another step by governing bodies to make sure companies adhere to the rules protecting consumers.

Good to see too that Epic isn't fighting this and has already addressed all(?) of the concerns the FTC had.

 

[DXCHASE]

Good to see yet another step by governing bodies to make sure companies adhere to the rules protecting consumers.

Good to see too that Epic isn't fighting this and has already addressed all(?) of the concerns the FTC had.

Yea because Epic knows theyll make what they are paying in a fine within months over the next year or so.

They'll pay the fines but probably and mask that they have "changed" and will just move onto another tactic to make as much money as possible and not really learning anything from their mistakes/greed

 

[Pifanjr]

Yea because Epic knows theyll make what they are paying in a fine within months over the next year or so.

They'll pay the fines but probably and mask that they have "changed" and will just move onto another tactic to make as much money as possible and not really learning anything from their mistakes/greed

According to a quick Google search, Epic made about 5 billion in 2020, so a half a billion fine is pretty significant still.

I don't doubt they'll continue to try to get as much money as they can, but they will probably pay a bit more attention to the regulations from now on and those regulations will probably only get stricter. For example, I fully expect being able to buy virtual currency to be banned at some point too.

 

[danthegamer]

You hit my soapbox. Knowledge is power, and the race to have as much knowledge has been going for awhile. We are in the midst of a public health crisis, and the most dangerous part is most of us dont know it, and the ones that do, are still susceptible.

Every day people are under psychological assault from marketing and advertising designed in a way to manipulate us so subtly as to be imperceptible. Information is gathered on the population from multiple sources, cell phones, browser fingerprinting, credit card usage, video games. Databases are interconnected and cross aggregated, then filters and algorithms are applied. The result is that your very behavior can be predicted before you even decide to do it. Ther are already entire industries dedicated to this very thing.

Think you buy Helmans mayo because it tastes better "Bring out the Helmans, and bring out the best" If your eating another mayonaise, in your mind 'it isnt the best'. Next time you will probably buy Helmans. Bounty is the quicker-picker-uper. Choosey moms choose JIF. It never ends, and nearly impossible to escape.

Think that logic is wrong? You might laugh, and call people like me crazy, and that is exactly why this programming is so dangerous, because its so subtle, its hard to believe. So why do market research firms employ psycologist?

Every day we make hundreds of descisions we think we are making for ourselves, but in fact we have already been programmed to make those choices with a high probability

Science-fact. This is exactly how Cambridge Analytica manipulated the 2020 US election, and these tactics and techniques are being used all over the world to manipulate populations and governments alike.

It all starts with data collection. Unity games are the worst IMO.

I buy all my games, but they are all configured to run offline on an air-gap PC.

/nuff said

 

[Foxhood]

Oh, preaching to the choir on that Dan.

Any closer look at markets tends to reveal a smorgasboard of manipulations. To the point a lot of misconceptions, Traditions and societal expectations exist that many aren't even aware where the products of bloody marketing spiels and you can find these throughout history!

 

[Brian Boru]

you can find these throughout history

Agreed, but it only ramped up to industrial levels around a century ago. When manufacturers had made enough 'stuff' for everyone, they found themselves with declining demand and expensive overheads. Cue the birth of marketing as we know it today, ie the creation of demand where no need exists.

 

[danthegamer]

Sorry about being preachy, later I thought the same thing about my post. Its a bad habit.

Definately dont mention Planned Obsolescence.

 

[samandera]

Sure underage need protection

 

[Aetienne]

Privacy is important whether you are an adult or a child

 

[bullet2411]

Good to see yet another step by governing bodies to make sure companies adhere to the rules protecting consumers.

Good to see too that Epic isn't fighting this and has already addressed all(?) of the concerns the FTC had.

what is the main agenda of this forum?

 

[COLGeek]

what is the main agenda of this forum?

See here: https://www.pcgamer.com/about-pc-gamer/

 

[Pifanjr]

what is the main agenda of this forum?

The collection of training data for a group of AI chat bots to populate a niche community in the metaverse targeted to retired gamers.