#biggest app development companies

[digiweb2u]

[blockverse-infotech]

Advancing Game Development Ethics through Diversity, Representation, and Inclusivity

Blockverse Infotech Solutions, a leading mobile game development agency, stands at the forefront of innovation and creativity in the gaming industry. With a commitment to ethical mobile game development practices, Blockverse Infotech Solutions recognizes the importance of addressing diversity, representation, and inclusivity within the gaming landscape. In an era where digital entertainment serves as a powerful tool for shaping societal perceptions and values, game developers hold a significant responsibility in promoting positive social change. This article delves into the critical role of ethics in game development, emphasizing the need for diversity, representation, and inclusivity in shaping a more equitable and inclusive gaming industry.

Diversity in mobile game development encompasses various aspects, including the representation of different cultures, backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and perspectives. By embracing diversity, game developers can create richer and more authentic gaming experiences that resonate with a diverse audience. Moreover, diverse development teams bring unique insights and ideas to the table, fostering innovation and creativity in game design.

Blockverse Infotech Solutions prioritizes diversity in its development teams, recognizing that diverse perspectives lead to more inclusive and culturally relevant games. By actively recruiting and supporting developers from underrepresented groups, Blockverse Infotech Solutions ensures that its games reflect the diversity of the global gaming community.

Representation plays a crucial role in fostering inclusivity and empowering marginalized communities within the gaming space. When players see themselves represented in games, they feel validated and empowered, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity. However, representation in games goes beyond mere tokenism; it requires authentic and respectful portrayals that avoid harmful stereotypes and tropes.

Blockverse Infotech Solutions strives to promote positive representation in its games by featuring diverse characters, storylines, and settings that reflect the complexity and diversity of the real world. By consulting with experts and community stakeholders, Blockverse ensures that its representations are authentic and culturally sensitive, thereby fostering a more inclusive gaming environment.

Inclusivity in game design entails creating experiences that are accessible and enjoyable for players of all backgrounds and abilities. This includes considerations such as customizable controls, subtitles, colorblind options, and diverse difficulty settings to accommodate a wide range of players. By prioritizing inclusivity, mobile game developers can ensure that everyone can participate in and enjoy their games, regardless of any barriers they may face.

Blockverse Infotech Solutions integrates inclusivity into its game design process from the outset, prioritizing accessibility features and user-friendly interfaces to ensure that its games are welcoming to players of all backgrounds and abilities. By making inclusivity a core principle of its design philosophy, Blockverse Infotech Solutions seeks to set a precedent for ethical game development practices within the industry.

As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it is essential for game developers to prioritize ethics and social responsibility in their work. By addressing diversity, representation, and inclusivity, developers can create more inclusive and socially impactful games that reflect the diversity of the global gaming community. Blockverse Infotech Solutions exemplifies this commitment to ethical game development, serving as a beacon of innovation and inclusivity within the industry. Through collaborative efforts and a dedication to positive social change, mobile game developers can shape a more equitable and inclusive gaming landscape for future generations.

[woniverse-writes]

"MOTH TO A FLAME (part 3)"

Bada Lee x Fem!Reader

part 2 ⟵ part 3 ⟶ part 4

series masterlist

summary: y/n l/n is the youngest team member of Jam Republic, competing in the second season of Street Woman Fighter. she’s got the sweetest smile and the most vibrant personality, but she also may or may not be the biggest hothead on the show when it comes to defending her teammates. apparently that’s attractive to Bada Lee.

word count: 9.2k

warnings: swearing, suggestive at times, both Bada and reader are idiots practically already in love, reader is described as younger and small a lot, sometimes isn't very accurate to swf's actual plot, also this isn't proofread so... sorry for any mistakes lol- lemme know if I missed anything!

All teams had gone their separate ways to begin discussing which company they were going to aim for. The only two teams securing the company of their choosing were Wolf’Lo and Lady Bounce- meanwhile Bebe, TsubaKill, and 1 Million all go for JYP; and Jam Republic, Mannequeen, and Deep N Dap all go for Hybe. When Bebe had walked into the room to 1 Million in there as well, they knew it would be interesting- then even more so when TsubaKill entered. And even though none of them outwardly said so, all of Bebe was secretly glad they weren’t going up against Jam Republic.

Jam Republic on the other hand- wasn’t worried at all when they saw Deep N Dap enter the room. In fact- when Kirsten had reported the information back to the team as they were preparing, Emma and Y/n couldn’t help but smirk and snort at how easy it would be. 

So all teams began preparing their choreography to battle against each other. Everyone was working hard and staying focused, ensuring they put out their best work to secure the company of their choosing. Bada had stepped out briefly, leaving the rest of Bebe to start choreographing. when she came back, they had yet to start anything, only having collected ideas. It frustrated the leader beyond words, yet she still tried her best to express the dissatisfaction she was feeling to her teammates.

“You guys know I’m not the only person on this team, right?” the eldest member sighed passively with her eyes shut in frustration. The others all stood in silence, too ashamed to speak up. 

“Every time we go out there, everyone calls us “Bada and her students”- aren’t you tired of that?? I’m tired of it, so why aren’t you?” she started raising her voice. Bada looked around at her teammates and felt disappointed, but was also starting to feel exhausted.

“I’m not competing by myself here… let’s get started” she sighed and everyone fell into a clump behind her, ready to follow her instructions. They begin working and eventually develop a pretty good routine, except everyone is on edge and they all keep making little mistakes. 

The Bebe members take a break and Bada grabs her phone and her water, walking out the door to get some air. She can’t help but criticize herself, wishing she was able to lead her team better- lead them in a way where they felt confident enough to work on their own. But no, Bada is still learning, yet not giving herself a break. She almost feels pathetic when she opens her messages app and her and y/n’s texts are already pulled up. She sighed reading over the last few messages they were talking about, which happened to be from the night before after they had all picked their groups. Bada had been saying how she was kind of glad their teams weren’t directly against each other, and y/n replied with something along the lines of how she agreed- saying it would’ve broken her heart. Bada types out a quick ‘how’s it going?’, not expecting a response right away but still hoping for it anyway. The leader was starting to accept the fact that the younger dancer was becoming a safe space for her, and she had a feeling that said dancer felt the same.

In the meantime- Jam Republic is having a blast coming up with choreography, their teamwork is impeccable, and the ideas flow like water. After about three hours of non-stop motion they take a longer break. Y/n sprawls out on the floor and Audrey comes to lay on top of her, causing them both to laugh- until Emma also comes to lay on top of them, and suddenly Audrey was dying laughing and y/n was groaning about how it’s not fair for the smallest to be on the bottom. The older three members sat back and admired their playfulness- Latrice began recording the chaos and Kirsten started snapping pictures. After a few minutes of messing around, Emma rolled off the two and Audrey followed, leaving y/n dramatically breathing with her eyes closed and head tilted- pretending like she was dying. Ling made her way over to the youngest with her phone and water in hand, passing them off to her as she sat up.

“Thanks Ling Ling” the younger girl appreciated with her eyes still shut, but a sweet gentle smile on her face. y/n opened her phone as she took a sip of her water to see a message from Bada. It was sent a couple of minutes ago simply asking ‘how’s it going?’ wot which she quickly replied with ‘pretty good! We’re getting a lot done and it looks pretty good too🫣😋’ totally unaware of how tragic the Bebe practice is going.

Right as Bada is about to put down her phone and start the practice back up, she feels it buzz and looks down to see it light up with a new text notification. She immediately opens it to see y/n’s reply, and smiles, happy to know at least one of them is doing well. She typed out ‘that’s great! Wish I could say the same haha… but it’s okay- I feel more motivated now after hearing that your practice is going well🩵’ and pressed send before waiting a few seconds to see if she’d get a response right away- which she did.

‘Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that love :( I hope it gets better- just remember to keep drinking water and DON’T overwork yourself! It’s important to do your best but you also need to make sure you’re in your best state of mind as well’ was the text Bada had received and truth be told, it made her a little emotional. She hearted the message and began typing again. ‘Let’s get something to eat after the battles tomorrow, okay? On me’ 

Y/n felt her face heat up and a smile began to take over as she read the latest message from Bebe’s leader. She made sure to heart the message and respond quickly with an ‘of course!! That sounds great!’ before putting her phone down and getting back to practice.

Bada felt relieved at y/n’s acceptance, sending a heart emoji then turning her phone off to head back to practice- now with a much better attitude. Her change in mood seemed to bring up the team's morale as a whole, seeing as how every member was bringing their a-game now. They finished choreographing and ran their routine into the late hours of the night before deciding to turn in and get some rest for a few hours. They came back the next morning and rehearsed a bit more, but ultimately they felt confident and were ready to compete.

As all the teams filtered in, everyone was sharing their nerves and excitement among themselves. Jam Republic was up first to battle and their three youngest members were beyond excited to take the stage. They showed their choreo, and even though they were only given a short period of time to work on, they blew everyone away with how energetic and clean it was. Audrey and Y/n once again received immense praise for their facials and explosive stage presence. The performance ended and while the other members were trying to catch their breath and process how they did, the two youngest members were skipping back to their seats giggling over how fun it was and how they hoped to keep HYBE so they could do it again

After watching Mannequeen, y/n was excited about how good it was but felt a little nervous after seeing her leader's tense expression

"Hey, let's try not to worry too much, we already danced and did our best, and we did amazing! Let's just try to enjoy the other dances right now" the youngest member softly states after putting a gentle hand on her leader's shoulder, giving her a bright youthful smile.

"y/n since when did you get so mature? You don't seem fired up at all right now and it's kinda scaring me" Latrice commented from the other side, causing y/n’s smile to widen a little.

"won't you be upset if we get eliminated?" Kirsten asked seriously before the younger girl could respond to the initial question. 

"Of course, but I'm so tired I can't even think that far ahead right now" she joked. The members all rolled their eyes and laughed. after staying up all night to perfect their piece, they could barely even process it when the votes came in and Deep n Dap was kicked instead of Jam Republic. But to be completely honest, they weren’t surprised at all.

They move on to the JYP battle section, meaning it’s time for Bebe, 1 Million, and TsubaKill. 1 million goes first and of course, y/n is hyping up her new friends- especially Redy, which Bada is absolutely not happy about. She hates it, it makes her more nervous.

y/n is even more excited while watching Tsubakill, cheering again for the member she’s closest with- Rena, but also fangirling over their leader, Akanen. This again makes Bada even more nervous- to the point where she feels like she's gonna pass out. She hated feeling jealous but she also hated how badly she wanted to please the youngest dancer from Jam Republic- and that paired with her already crushing need to succeed was tearing her apart. 

"Bada looks really tense…" Latrice comments

"oh my god I feel like I'm gonna throw up- I'm so nervous" y/n replies with her hand on her chest. Kirsten puts an arm around her shoulder, the whole pink team now feeling anxious. Bebe goes and they do amazing. Y/n is cheering and screaming the whole time, over the moon excited to see how well the routine turned out. When they finished dancing and everyone was cheering all the members bowed and turned to the various teams. When Bada had turned to face Jam Republic, y/n was already standing up throwing her hands in the air.

“What were you even worried about?? That was fucking amazing!!” the young girl scremaed with a huge smile on her face, causing Bada to share the same expression before shaking her head and turning back around to await the results. Everyone votes and the results are announced, 1 Million will be moving to another section. 

After all the teams are adjusted, it’s announced that the two teams of each company will have an hour and a half to decide who gets to choreograph each song, then they will all take a four-hour filming break for lunch, but teams were allowed to begin collecting ideas if they wanted to. Bada had already discussed with her team that they would be taking their break to relax and decompress as long as they had gotten to stay in JYP. similarly, Jam Republic had also decided to take their break if they got to keep their original group. 

Bada came waltzing over to Jam Republic’s seating with a cool smile on her face, even though she was really trying to contain an accomplished grin. y/n hopped down and met the older girl at the bottom, her teammates trying their best not to be nosy, but failing miserably.

“So I’m thinking a quick shower and then we can go?” Bada had asked looking down at the shorter girl who just smiled and nodded at first, her cheeks a little flushed already.

“Mmhm! Sounds good to me!” y/n responded enthusiastically, even though her brain was still stuck on the thought of Bada showering- or rather them showering together. Bada held up her hand like she was waiting for y/n to shake it, which she did albeit with a confused look. 

“Alright- see you soon then princess!” Bada affirmed, giving a final playfully aggressive shake to y/n’s hand, as if they had just sealed an important business deal, causing the younger of the two to burst out into giggles. After Bada is back with her crew, y/n turns around to see the rest of Jam Republic eyeing her expectantly. 

“Soooo what exactly are you gonna be doing later, princess?” Kirsten interrogated with a teasing smile. y/n just laughed some more and her smile grew wider (if that was even possible).

“Nothing crazy, we’re just going to get lunch” she had explained, somewhat calm, not entirely believing herself when she described it as “nothing crazy”. They all nodded and hummed, pretending to believe her.

“Right… just lunch… nothing crazy!” Emma repeated sarcastically with a knowing smile.

“Just don’t come back with hickeys the makeup crew won’t be able to cover-” Ling teased quietly to which everyone shot her a wide-eyed look.

“what? The way that girl looks at her is definitely not television-appropriate seventy-five percent of the time!” she exclaims, trying to defend her comment, which causes everyone to chuckle and nod in agreement.

“She’s got you there y/n… you should definitely go somewhere public, so she doesn’t pounce on you.” Emma snorts out a laugh, finding herself to be the funniest person in the room. Audrey shoves her shoulder and scoffs.

“Leave her alone- this is exciting! Y/n isn’t as delusional as we all thought!” “No Audrey- she’s still delusional, her delusions are just reciprocated by someone even more delusional that’s just really good at hiding it.” All the members look over to see Lusher standing in front of them with a knowing smirk. All of their faces drop, now looking a little panicked. 

“It’s okay- we’ve been having pretty much the same conversations with Bada.” the Bebe sub-leader reassures them with a subtle laugh and smile. They all briefly relax before turning their full attention back to the girl in front of them.

“Wait- what do you mean you have the same conversations? About y/n???” Emma excitedly speaks up, leaning forward ready for the tea. Y/n also leans forward hands resting against Emma’s shoulders, with wide eyes and a tiny curious smile.

 “Well… yes… but I don’t think right now is the best time to explain.” Lusher draws out with a teasing smile, causing Emma and Y/n to groan, but the rest to shake their heads and laugh. 

“Anyways- I actually came over to see if the rest of you would want to get lunch with us, seeing as our precious teammates decided to ditch us for a date.” The standing girl finishes off her offer by crossing her arms and landing her eyes on y/n with another teasing look.

“That sounds great!” Audrey gushes, smiling happily at the invitation before looking over at Kirsten for confirmation. The older nods her head and smiles.

“We’d love to, thank you so much.” Kirsten nods again gratefully, and Lusher smiles before heading back to her team. After the short break, all teams head into their battle rooms to decide who is going to get to choreograph a chunk of each song. Everyone else seems to have figured it out quickly, besides Mannequeen and Jam Republic, who ended up taking the whole hour and a half they had been given. After it was decided that Mannequeen would take “Dope” and Jam Republic would take “Eve, Psych, and the Bluebird’s Wife” they were finally able to go on their break. The rest of Jam Republic decided to head out and meet team Bebe for lunch right away, while y/n texted Bada to let her know she was just finishing up the decision process and that she was going to change quickly before the meeting.

Y/n rushed back to her apartment and showered before drying her hair and doing her makeup. She had kept it light but still pretty, tying the look together with her signature gloss. Her outfit was simple- well- simple for her. She had on a pink tank top paired with a khaki skirt and layered a white jacket on top. She finished getting ready and shot Bada a quick text letting her know she was leaving. They decided to meet at a cafe that was in between their apartments and happened to be really close to the studio. Once y/n had arrived she walked in to see Bada already sitting at a table looking at her phone.

“Hey! Sorry I kept you waiting…” y/n spoke up shyly as she approached the table. To which Bada looked up and shook her head immediately, signaling it was no problem.

“You didn’t keep me waiting, I actually just got here a few minutes ago” the older shared to ease the younger girl’s mind. She ‘ahh’ed and took her seat across from Bada. They exchange small talk for a moment over what they’re going to order and begin conversing more comfortably after that. Their food and drinks arrive as they continue their conversations about how each other’s day has been going. Y/n is currently retelling how the decision process went down between them and Mannequeen, and even though she's disappointed in losing dope she laughs about it openly because Mannequeen was surprisingly sweet and respectful about it (or at least most of them).

"Wait- so you’re telling me they blocked your door??" Bada asked in disbelief after taking a bite of her food, trying not to laugh.

"YES" Y/n openly laughed at Bada not fully believing her and took a sip of her drink. They continued to laugh about it for a little bit before going back to talking about how team Bebe had been doing.

“I’m just glad we were able to pull it off… I was really stressed.” Bada tried to laugh about it so she didn’t seem too troubled in front of y/n, but the younger girl still frowned and reached across the table to take Bada’s hand on hers, rubbing the back of it gently before nodding at her to continue.

“I felt horrible especially in the beginning, because it really seemed like I was the only one putting in work… but then I felt even worse after thinking about how it’s my fault that my teammates don’t feel secure enough or confident enough to lead themselves… I felt so selfish. Like I wasn’t fit to continue leading them in that moment…” the older girl continued quietly, looking down at the table. She didn’t want y/n to pity her, but it just felt too easy to open up to the girl.

“You’re too hard on yourself.” she spoke up, looking at Bada with puppy eyes. The young girl could feel her heart shattering into pieces while listening to the leader describe her stress. She just wanted to lean over the table and wrap her in a giant hug, and coddle her until she had no more negative thoughts about herself. Bada sighed and hung her head for a second before looking back up at the girl across from her.

“I know…” she began with a sad smile.

“I just feel like I have to always put out the best work- especially here. There are so many amazing dancers and choreographers, so many teams with such strong presences… I just want that for Bebe. I want them all to be strong and recognizable because believe it or not, I hate that everyone only sees me when they think of my team…” Bada finishes off her rant with her head resting in her hand that isn’t still being held by y/n’s.

“Bada-” the other starts

“You do always put out your best work. everything you do is amazing- whether it’s as a dancer, a choreographer, and especially as a leader. Your girls look up to you a lot for a reason. They wouldn't care so much about your opinion if they didn’t think you were deserving of leading them.” Y/n finishes off strong and the look in her eyes assures Bada that she means every word. She looks back down and smiles again, feeling pressure starting to build in her eyes- there is no way Bada will let herself cry in front of y/n like this. 

“You did well. I’m really proud of you.” y/n smiled and nodded gently, squeezing Bada’s hand in reassurance and that caused a single tear to slip down the older girl’s cheek, sending the younger into a slight panic. 

“Ah- don’t cry!” Y/n stood up and ran over to Bada’s side of the booth, sitting down next to her as she began wiping her tears with her jacket sleeve. The younger continued to do so until Bada had stopped crying. Y/n looked into Bada’s eyes with a pout on her face as she tucked a piece of hair behind the older girl’s ear. Her hands were still resting on her cheeks, caressing the taller dancer’s face, even though the tears had stopped flowing a while ago. The two sat there in silence, just embracing the close proximity. Bada’s breathing was shallow, still recovering from crying, but now feeling nervous after realizing how close y/n was. The younger of the two glanced down at the other’s lips and stared for a few seconds before hearing her gasp quietly, causing her to look back up. Y/n backed away slightly, to Bada’s disappointment, but only to give herself room to pull one of her hands away and kiss her thumb, before placing her hand back on the older girl’s jaw and rubbing said thumb gently across her bottom lip. Bada was so shocked by her boldness, she felt her lips part slightly and her face heat up. Y/n just smiled lightly at her reaction, once again staring at her lips. She looks up to make eye contact on her own this time, kind of loving the power she has over the older girl at this moment.

“Are you feeling better now” she whispers gently and Bada just nods in a daze. Y/n hums and nods also, rubbing her cheek one more time before standing and heading back to her own seat. Bada snaps out of her daze, still feeling dizzy at the interaction. She clears her throat and takes a sip of her drink. The rest of lunch goes on without another serious incident, but y/n’s eyes are filled with what could only be explained as “pure love and adoration” for the remainder of their time together. The two end up heading back to the studio together, sharing the backseat of a cab. 

Bada really is shocked by how bold y/n has become with her- after they finish up their meal and pay for everything, their cab arrives. Bada opened the door for y/n, which she giggled about and joked that Bada was such a gentleman to her, causing the older to roll her eyes and smile before explaining how she simply was taking care of her princess.

“Her princess…” y/n couldn’t stop thinking about that as they drove back. Once the two had both gotten in the car, they started off pretty evenly spaced out with Bada on one side and y/n on the other. But after about two and a half minutes they were side by side, and eventually, y/n had her legs lying across Bada’s lap as they cuddled and looked at the pictures they had taken together on their phones. When they had arrived back at the studio, y/n swung her legs back over placing her feet onto the car floor, opening her own door this time. Bada had followed her coming out the way, making sure to close the door behind and thank the driver. The two walked right next to each other, shoulders bumping but neither of them being brave enough to reach out and hold the other’s hand. As they both reached the lobby, it was almost the end of their allotted break time.

“I had a really great time today… so thank you” y/n began with a shy smile and blush painting her face, as she looked up at the older girl. Bada shared a similar smile, also taking on the look of “love and adoration” that y/n’s been sporting for the last hour or so. 

“Eyy you don’t need to thank me…” she began just as shyly

“I also had a great time- even if I did cry a little-” Bada joked halfway through, causing y/n to giggle and bump her shoulder.

“But I seriously love talking to you… I’m hoping we can do this again soon.” it wasn’t a question, but the younger girl’s eyes were immediately lighting up and she was nodding her head.

“Of course! I’d love to!” y/n started enthusiastically, but then she took a deep breath and continued

“I really love talking to you too” she thought she was gonna cry if she said anything else, so the younger girl just finished off with a smile and sparkling eyes, not believing what was happening. Her heart was pounding and her face hurt from how much she had been smiling. Y/n thought her stomach was going to explode from how many butterflies she was feeling- it was like a real crush now… not some celebrity crush or feeling of admiration for someone older that one looks up to… these were real romantic feelings and y/n was surprisingly ready to deal with them. And even if she wasn’t, the way Bada was smiling at her would definitely change her mind.

_______________

Rehearsals have been exhausting, especially after having learned their opponents' choreography. For some teams, it was an easy adjustment, but for others… it was definitely a challenge. 

TsubaKill had thrown in a tough acrobatic skill that was tough for even some dancers with experience in that area. Tatter was struggling to stick her landing on the double front handspring, and it was definitely bringing down the team’s confidence. Bada tried her best to stay positive as their leader, but even the members could tell she was starting to get nervous.

They’re given a longer break and Bada takes a walk, not even realizing she ended up near Jam Republic’s practice space. The pink also seems to be on break and the Bebe leader stands outside debating whether or not to knock on their door.

“Y/n…” Latrice starts suspiciously. The younger girl hums while taking a sip of her water, looking over with wide eyes.

“I think someone’s looking for you.” she finishes off with a soft knowing smile, pointing in the direction of their doorway. The younger looks over and furrows her brows, immediately standing up to head over to Bada.

“Hey- what's up? Are you okay?” the youngest Jam member asks in a concerned voice, eyes expressing how genuinely worried she is. Bada’s expression isn’t doing much to help her feel at ease, as the older hesitates for a second before sighing and closing her eyes.

“I don’t know… this practice is going terribly.” She begins, laughing pitifully, trying not to cry. Y/n pouts and makes a noise expressing her sadness and understanding. She immediately wraps her arms around the taller girl's waist, securing her in a comforting hug. Bada huffs out a sad laugh and wraps her arms around the smaller girl's shoulder, resting her head atop of hers. They stay like that for a few minutes with y/n rubbing circles on the older girl’s back. The whole time Bada was wishing she could just stay there forever, thinking that she might even fall asleep if she let herself stay any longer. She let out a sigh and stood up straight, patting Y/n's head before reaching to hold the smaller girl’s face in both hands. Y/n still had her arms loosely around the taller girl and was forced to look up at her since Bada was holding her face softly between her hands. The younger girl’s eyes glittered as she smiled softly, tilting her head slightly to lean into one of the older’s palms, looking lovingly into her eyes. In that moment Bada felt herself let out an uncontrollable giggle.

“You really are a puppy…” she stated absentmindedly with a lovestruck smile, still staring into the younger’s sparkly eyes. y/n giggled girlishly and wrapped her arms tighter around Bada’s waist teasingly, causing the older girl to laugh and squish the smaller’s cheeks playfully between her large hands. Both were giggling and clinging to each other, and the rest of Jam Republic was either smiling endearingly at them or making fake gagging noises (Emma). Bada sighed and let go of y/n’s face, placing her hands on her shoulders instead. The smaller of the two finally let go of the other’s waist and stood there waiting for her to say something.

“I should probably let you get back to practice…” Bada pouted slightly, not really wanting to go back to her own practice.

“I mean, you don’t haaaave to…” the younger dragged out her sentence with a playful eye-roll, playing around still, also not wanting the older girl to leave. Bada huffed out a laugh and shook her head.

“Okay, well I definitely need to get back to practice.” she stated, trying not to sound too distraught by it. Y/n’s eyes softened and her face fell for a split second, almost unnoticeably, before a gentle smile took over her face.

“Just please don’t overwork yourself… or the girls. Take care of each other please, your health and mentality are most important…” the younger girl pleaded looking deeply into Bada’s eyes. She patted her head and ruffled her hair a little, causing her to whine slightly. Bada laughed again and nodded her head.

“I promise we’ll all take care of ourselves… but we’re still gonna work just as hard as before. At least until we get things right.” her face dropped a little and the somber expression was back.

“No. health first, Bada… you won’t be able to get anything right if you’re injured… so please take care of yourself.” and after seeing the pleading look in y/n’s eyes while she stood there with her arms crossed over her chest, Bada really couldn’t find it in her to argue. So she let out a sigh and nodded. 

“Okay…” she nods again looking at the ground, feeling a bit emotional. Bada takes another deep breath and stands up straight, smiling again, causing y/n to smile again. 

“Alright, well i’m gonna get back to practice-” the older states, and right as y/n’s about to reply, Bada places a quick kiss atop her head, and then struts off back to her practice space, leaving the younger girl with her jaw dropped and eyes wide as ever. Once she’s taken quite a few steps and put some distance between them, Bada turns over her shoulder and throws y/n a wink paired with a teasing smile. The younger can’t help but huff out a laugh of absolute astonishment and disbelief. As Bada turns the corner and is out of y/n’s sight, the Jam Republic girl doesn’t even want to turn around to see her teammates' expressions, knowing damn well she’s gonna have to answer a lot of questions.

__________

The next day arrives and it’s time for everyone to present their pieces to the other crews, as well as record their practice videos to send in for the artists to view. While all of Jam Republic is in a good mood and extremely excited to show off their routine, their youngest can’t help but feel a little anxious. Not for herself, but for the team sitting next to them, and more specifically for their leader.

Bebe was one of the first to go and it started off well. They seemed pretty relaxed until it came time for Tatter’s front handspring. She didn’t stick the landing and it threw everyone off, but the team didn’t falter, continuing on as if it didn’t happen. Y/n was cheering the loudest, especially for Tatter, letting her know it was okay. But when the blonde didn’t land her font walkover as well, y/n’s screams increased in volume tenfold. 

“YOU’VE GOT THIS TATTER- LET’S GO GIRL” she’s screaming so hard that her chest hurts, and the small girl can feel tears starting to sting her eyes. At this point everyone else was cheering for the team as well, wanting to see them finish off strong. The second it was over, Bada was turning to Tatter and wrapping her in a tight hug. The younger member cried and cried, while her leader petted her hair and shushed her.

“Are you okay? You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” Bada whispered to the crying girl in her arms, who shook her head and backed away to wipe her tears. The leader pushed some hair out of her face, and pulled her back in for another hug, leading her and the rest of the team back to their seats. Everyone continued to cheer for them as loud as possible.

“You did well, it’s okay. It was just a mistake. As long as you’re not hurt, that's what matters right now.” the blonde sighs, finally calming down and she lays her head on the oldest member’s shoulder, closing her eyes for a few moments.

On the other side of them, Jam Republic is holding back their own tears, feeling immensely sorry for the team they’ve grown so close to. Except for y/n who is freely letting her tears fall, as she hides her face in her hands. Latrice rubs her back until she calms down and is able to sit back up without crying.

A couple more teams take their turns before it’s time for Jam Republic. It’s safe to say that when they do their routine and everyone goes fucking crazy. Their ability to pick up Mannequeen’s whacking section and execute it as well as they did, sent everyone into a frenzy. On top of that, their energy and expressions were beyond praise, so everyone was just screaming. 

Everyone is surprised to see that the team isn’t utilizing y/n more, or at least using her old choreography. The youngest member mostly shared the center with another member, yet was never the main focus. The only highlight she really has is after Audrey’s articulated arch, where she runs to lead the line for a brief second, her expressions and energy being what makes her stand out. The look in her eyes and the slight smirk make everyone go crazy over the visuals and stage presence.

“THAT’S MY GIRL” Bada is leaning over her teammates screaming the loudest anyone has heard her scream. Her teammates just give her the same side eye they always do whenever she starts openly fangirling over y/n. But they all have just learned to ignore it for the most part now. Jam Republic finishes their routine and are all breathing heavily as they bow and walk back to their seats. While everyone’s still clapping and the members are about to sit down, Bada discreetly lifts up her fist right when y/n is about to walk by. The younger just smirks, trying not to laugh at the older girl’s silly yet supportive action, and bumps her smaller fist against Bada’s. 

The rehearsal finishes and the following day is the pre-recording and live performance. All the teams are once again getting their makeup done, this time sharing a room with their members.

“I can’t believe we’ve been here so long already and this is only the first mission we get to do together” Latriece states while getting her eyeshadow done. The others hum and some nod.

“It feels like we’ve been here forever, but it’s actually only been a couple of months…” y/n replies as her stylist applies a gemstone to her under eye.

“Only? I feel like these have been the longest two months of my life.” Emma exaggerates in return, causing a few of the members to hum more aggressively than before. They finished up with getting their makeup done and in typical y/n fashion, the first thing she did was start taking mirror selfies. At first, she was taking them by herself, and then of course Audrey joined… then Ling joined, and soon after that it was all of Jam Republic scrunched together trying to fit in the frame of one mirror. After that, Latrice offered to take more elaborate pictures for her, knowing how the young girl loves to pose and post. Once all that is done, they have a few minutes before having to head backstage for the pre-filming. Y/n doesn’t even think twice before opening her messages app and sending Bada a few of the selfies she took, along with some of the full-body pics Latrice had taken for her.

Bada’s finishing up in hair and makeup when she feels her phone buzz. Already getting her hopes up at the familiar hum of her text notification, she can’t help but expect a message from a certain Jam Republic member. Sure enough- when she unlocks her phone, she’s met with a series of selfies and other photos of the youngest member, dressed in pink and white with glittery makeup. Bada doesn’t even feel herself smile, she’s so lost in a dream over the pretty girl on her phone. 

‘Absolutely stunning, Princess🩷’ she presses send without even thinking. Y/n hearted the message and sent the hand heart emoji right as Bada was about to be done with her hair. As soon as the stylists step away the Bebe leader is opening her camera and snapping her own mirror selfies, immediately sending her favorites to y/n.

‘Ugh how do you always look SO fucking good😩🩵’ was the response Bada got almost instantaneously from the younger girl, to which she giggled and covered her mouth with her fist trying to hide her smile. Hearing the soft sound Lusher looked over and sighed affectionately at her blushing teammate.

“Did y/n text you?” she asked, already knowing the answer. Bada looked over with wide eyes, a bit shocked forgetting that everyone else could still perceive her in the present moment.

“Oh- uhm…” the eldest tried to be cool and calm, attempting to avoid the conversation, but just as soon as her walls went up, they came right back down.

“yeah… she did” and she was giggling and smiling again, causing Lusher to burst out laughing at her leader’s openness. It was a relief to the younger girl to see Bada so relaxed and at peace, even though they still had to go out and compete in a few hours. Seeing one of her closest friends and now team leader act the way she did with and around y/n made her feel okay, knowing that there was someone to take care of her just like how she had been taking care of them.

___________

Before the pre-recordings start an announcement is played on the monitors. It’s a member or group of members from each company, declaring who they thought was the better team during their practice. Le Sserafim chose Jam Republic as the better team, meaning they got to choose whether they went first or second during the live show- they chose to go second after Mannequeen.

During the practice/filming period- everything started out well for Jam Republic. They were all laughing and having a blast watching the other crews. They all casually made fun of wolf’lo for their uhm… “hip-hop look”… and ended up delving into a slightly more serious conversation about how crazy it is that level of cultural appropriation is still going on in 2023- the durags were already too much... whoever was styling these girls needed to get FIRED. After Mannequeen had gone it was finally their turn.

The recording started off really well until all of a sudden Latrice was on the ground, unable to get up. Y/n was right next to her when it happened, watching her go down. She stopped dancing immediately to make sure the older girl was okay and to see if she could get up. After a few moments, the team realized Latrice wasn’t going to be able to get up on her own any time soon and she was rushed to the hospital. The members halted their filming and headed back to their hideout. The members are holding it together surprisingly well at first, mostly just in shock at the situation. Audrey is the first to start crying, and it hits everyone else like a truck. Y/n is by her side in seconds, cuddling and trying to soothe her. Ling is next to start tearing up and shortly after y/n even sees Emma shed a tear. The youngest is able to hold it together until she looks up to see her leader crying. That’s when y/n feels the tears start falling uncontrollably, as she tucks her head into Audrey’s shoulder and silently cries. 

“Is there an option we just forfeit?” Kirsten asks the staff, wiping her tears. Once Y/n hears this she picks up her head immediately and the look in her eyes is one of heartbreak and the poor girl seems terrified by the idea of giving up. The staff explains that if they were to forfeit it would immediately put them in last place, meaning they’d be up for elimination. This news caused them all to fall back into tears, completely lost on what to do. After what felt like half a day, Latrice came back with a boot on her leg. The other members immediately rushed to her side and helped her sit down.

“Basically I just have to ice it for a few hours and then I’m allowed to dance on it for the performance, but after that, I’m gonna have to rest for a while.” she had explained to them, as her team all watch over her with worried eyes. She then began talking to them about how Redlic was also in the hospital at the same time as her. The others were amused but y/n just rolled her eyes.

“Of course she was” the young girl mumbled, not at all surprised with the show’s resident drama queen. Latrice looked over and shook her with a laugh, then proceeded to joke about how she was starting to see Redlic as her soulmate instead of her rival, which ended up making y/n somewhat emotional again.

After a few hours of recovery, Jam Republic quickly shot their pre-recording of the routine and went back to get some touchups done on their makeup as the audience started pouring in. After about an hour and a half of anticipation, the live performance began. All the girls could hear the audience from backstage, and some even from their dressing rooms. It made them all even more hyped to perform. 

TsubaKill does their performance first and everyone is blown away by how aggressive yet clean they are with their movements. When it’s Bebe’s turn y/n can feel her nerves increase by two hundred percent. The girl was already nervous, but knowing that Tatter had been struggling intensely with a few points really made y/n’s heart hurt for the other team. But her nerves quickly dissipated as she watched the blond stick her double front handspring, in fact- she was up and screaming immediately. 

“LETS FUCKING GO TATTER” is the small girl’s immediate reaction. She’s standing on the couch in her crew’s waiting room, screaming with the rest of her team. y/n briefly calms down for a moment and brings herself to sit next to and cling to Emma, who pats her head and laughs.

“I feel like I’m gonna cry I’m so proud of her.” and the excitement only increases as the performance goes on. There’s one moment where they all point at someone in the crowd, and when it happens the camera pans to Bada, charismatically pointing and smirking, which has y/n’s jaw dropping to the floor and all of her members immediately looking her way to catch her reaction. No one says a word until y/n looks around to meet eyes with all of them. She holds up her hand and closes her eyes, pretending to cry.

“Enough.” is all she says yet it has her members bursting out in laughter. Minah is the next victim of Jam Republic’s inhumane screams of support, when she does her jerky laugh move, once again sending them all spiraling. Especially y/n and Audrey who are now standing on the couch again, clinging to each other for dear life. And then of course, y/n pretends to faint when Bada does her peek through the other members before the end half of the song. Emma smacks her on the side of the head, asking her politely (sarcastically) to pull herself together. Bebe finishes their routine and all the members are standing in the middle of their room cheering and clapping like maniacs.

Shortly after the JYP match, Mannequeen went first during the Hybe competition and for the first time, y/n is actually nervous for herself to compete. The other team had done really well and even adjusted accordingly to the choreography Jam Republic had given them. When it was time for the pink team themselves to finally perform, y/n took a deep breath and put on her game face- ready to go. The music started and she instantly felt herself become immersed in their doll-like theme. She and Ling had taken the center for the intro, already bringing the story to life. The audience loved them and so did the other crews. Bada really did try her best to focus on the dance as a whole and was able to when y/n wasn’t seen on the screen, but any other time her eyes were focused on the youngest member.

“I’m really surprised they didn’t utilize y/n more…” Minah shares with her group after the performance ends. To which Bada explained that the girl told her how she had wanted to help mostly behind the scenes for this one instead of taking the spotlight, as she’s not the only one on Jam Republic that can look good doing kpop choreo. They all ‘ahh’ed and nodded, adding yet another thing to the list of reasons they all admire y/n l/n. 

When it’s revealed that Jam Republic won y/n bursts into tears and collapses on the ground, but she immediately gets up and hugs Latrice and they’re just crying together. The rest of the teams compete and the day ends as a success for half and a learning experience for the others.

Not even getting a day to rest and recover, the first elimination occurs the next day. Everyone once again files into the fight zone, taking their seats and waiting for filming to start. The first two battles to be announced were SM and YG, resulting in 1 Million and LadyBounce securing their safety from elimination. Next was JYP- Bebe versus TsubaKill.

“There’s no way Bebe will be up for elimination…” y/n starts off although she feels her stomach turning. Her teammates hum and nod as they focus their eyes on the screen in front of them, awaiting the results. But they all gasp when the scores are revealed.

“I didn’t think it would be that bad…” Audrey whispers with sad eyes. All of the members slowly turn to catch TsubaKill’s reaction to being up for elimination. They were surprisingly calm, still smiling and nodding peacefully. Bada had spoken about how she was proud of her team for pulling through but got choked up at the end, wishing their opponent good luck in the final battle.

When it came down to Mannequeen versus Jam Republic everyone was just about ready to throw up because they were so nervous.

“I actually have no clue how this is going to go… I have such an awful feeling about this” y/n’s shaking her head and hiding her face in her hands. The screen reveals that even though Jam Republic had won the judges' votes, Mannequeen won the audience points, and the whole pink team tensed up. They all join hands and hold onto each other as they await the final score. When it came, their shoulder sagged and they all let out a heavy breath. Jam Republic wins by a hair.

As the final team score is announced, the host reveals the final ranking with Bebe in first and Jam Republic in fourth. TsubaKill and Wolf’Lo had the two lowest ranks, so now their teams were going up against each other for one final match to determine who was going home.

The first of what would be five battles began, crew versus crew. Y/n’s already fangirling over Tsubakill, especially Akanen

“She’s so mommy-“ “I need you to actually shut the fuck up” (yet another classic argument between Jam Republic’s designated Tom & Jerry duo, Y/n and Emma). Meanwhile, Bada is just as excited but is more in favor of Wolf’lo, really enjoying their classic hip-hop dance style. Tsubakill takes the first win and everyone flips, but the second battle between them has y/n heated.

“Why the fuck is she tripping her and getting all up in her space… that’s so juvenile” She was outraged when Baby Sleek won, always hating when dancers got too touchy with each other during battles, but especially when they were dancing at the same time and one of the dancers got too reckless- aka Baby Sleek.

The leaders battle next and Jam Republic is heavily rooting for Akanen, especially y/n.

“If Akanen doesn’t win, I’m leaving” the youngest member dramatically expressed with her arms crossed, tapping her food comedically, causing her members to laugh. 

“Oh so you’ve moved on from one team leader to the next already?” Emma teases and causes y/n’s jaw to drop and her eyebrows to furrow in defense. The duo battle was another hard-to-watch experience for her, as she felt that Wolf’Lo didn’t deserve the win for simply rolling around on the floor. Then the final group battle happened. Y/n absolutely loved TsubaKill’s performance, but it upset her to say that Wolf’Lo’s was slightly more put together.

When wolf’Lo takes the final win y/n’s head immediately hangs in defeat. She’s able to avoid crying until Rena starts speaking and they’re both instantly in tears. Once they’re told to leave the fight zone, y/n rushes down the seats and runs straight to Rena engulfing her in a huge hug. The two had become close ever since the class battle mission, and it hurt to see such a talented and kind-hearted friend go so soon. After they had all said their goodbyes and TsubaKill went back to their hideout for one final time to pack up their things, the rest continued to cry and try to pull themselves together. After about 45 minutes, each team took turns going up to say goodbye to the red team, truly not ready to let go of the newfound friends they all had made. TsubaKill turned off their sign and left, then the cameras stopped rolling for the day. 

Each crew was back in their own hideout now, just discussing the events of the last few days and how they could relax briefly since they all survived the first elimination. Jam Republic’s room was eerily quiet as the small team with such big hearts sat heartbroken still. Y/n didn’t look herself, eyes tired and face puffy, and oh how it made her members feel even more upset knowing their youngest member took every blow straight to the heart- yet she never let that truly impact her as a person, always taking on every new situation with a bright smile and open-mind.

“How’re you holdin' up mama?” Kirsten asked, gently rubbing the young girl’s shoulder. Her lip quivered and she started to tear up again before leaning forward and hiding her face in her hands.

“This is so much harder than I thought it was gonna be.” Y/n cries into her hands, shoulders shaking as she sobbed. Kirsten just continued to rub circles on her back until she calmed down. Once she finally did manage to stop crying, the younger girl sat up and ran a hand through her hair, suddenly seeming a tiny bit more alive than before. She looked around at all her members and stopped at Emma.

“Fuck this shit.” she declared confidently and the members couldn’t help but chuckle and shake their heads, forever impressed by how unpredictable the girl will always be. She throws her head back to rest against the back of the sofa in their room. A few moments of silence pass then there's a knock on their door. Ling, who is sitting closest to it, stands up and opens the door, revealing a slightly-somber-looking Bada Lee. once she realizes all eyes are on her, the tall girl’s eyes widen and she clears her throat. Before anyone can even say anything y/n is up and moving. 

“Hey, what’s up?” she whispers as she meets the older girl in the doorway. Bada stutters for a second before taking a breath.

“I just wanted to come check on you… I know you take these things pretty hard.” she had clarified with a sympathetic comforting smile, causing y/n to smile slightly as well.

“Well thank you… how are you holding up?” she asked in return with her signature puppy eyes. Bada tilted her head for a second, thinking about how she wanted to word her sentence. 

“I think I just need to keep moving. Of course I’m upset about it, but I feel for me personally I just have to keep working… there isn’t any time to rest-” she starts and sees Y/n take a deep breath, knowing the young girl is about to reprimand her for not taking care of herself.

“But-” she continues, holding up her hands in defense, causing the girl across from her to sigh and cross her arms expectantly.

“I actually want to take the time I have and enjoy it… maybe with someone?” Bada had finished her statement with a question, hinting that she very much wanted to spend her free time with the smaller girl in front of her. Y/n matched her cheesy smile and looked over her shoulder to see her teammates staring (per usual). Kirsten and Latrice looked at each other for a second, having a silent conversation, before looking back towards the two in the doorway and nodding with a thumbs up. Y/n looked back at the tall girl in front of her and smiled brightly.

“Are you free now?” she asked, and Bada held out her hand for y/n to take, which she did. The two already grinning like lovesick idiots.

“For you I am.”

note: sorry this part took so long!! i hope everyone enjoys it- next part is gonna be the pool party episode omg yay lol

taglist (open): @tinybada @angel-hyuckie @violetinferno @jesuschrist2006 @1luvkarina @uwulyn @justandloyal2961 @deadgirlwalking3 @heeheemich @squidvoldyvoid @vivzyo @ouhaika @jksjx @ocyeanicc @marianamartinsthings @jxrdxnh @luvjanexx @lorenztired @khjssss @heavenlycloud @loisje123 @starchasermyloves @zhivaxo @grinnwolph @notyourd0lly @stinkbvgs @nermandiiiii-blog @abllucena @arujee @idontknownemore @thatgayinsomniac @l-a-u-r-a--b @fruitr0llup @cgriffin9797-blog @woooooya @kaaylvst @ssc7514 @astoreea @linda-botello @kpopgirl-97 @erikook @majookim @okjaeminn @misszoldyc

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

On the first day without X, many Brazilians say they feel disconnected from the world

The blocking of social media platform X in Brazil divided users and politicians over the legitimacy of the ban, and many Brazilians on Saturday had difficulty and doubts over navigating other social media in its absence.

The shutdown of Elon Musk’s platform started early Saturday, making it largely inaccessible on both the web and through mobile apps after the billionaire refused to name a legal representative to the country, missing a deadline imposed by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The blockade marks an escalation in a monthslong feud between Musk and de Moraes over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation.

Brazil is one of the biggest markets for X, with tens of millions of users.

“I’ve got the feeling that I have no idea what’s happening in the world right now. Bizarre,” entertainment writer and heavy X user Chico Barney wrote on Threads. Threads is a text-based app developed by Instagram that Barney was using as an alternative. “This Threads algorithm is like an all-you-can-eat restaurant where the waiter keeps serving things I would never order.”

Bluesky, a social media platform that was launched last year as an alternative to X and other more established sites, has seen a large influx of Brazilians in the past couple of days. The company said Friday it has seen about 200,000 new users from Brazil sign up during that time, and the number “continues to grow by the minute.” Brazilian users are also setting records for activities such as follows and likes, Bluesky said.

Continue reading.

[mariacallous]

Major technology companies, including Google, Apple, and Discord, have been enabling people to quickly sign up to harmful “undress” websites, which use AI to remove clothes from real photos to make victims appear to be “nude” without their consent. More than a dozen of these deepfake websites have been using login buttons from the tech companies for months.

A WIRED analysis found 16 of the biggest so-called undress and “nudify” websites using the sign-in infrastructure from Google, Apple, Discord, Twitter, Patreon, and Line. This approach allows people to easily create accounts on the deepfake websites—offering them a veneer of credibility—before they pay for credits and generate images.

While bots and websites that create nonconsensual intimate images of women and girls have existed for years, the number has increased with the introduction of generative AI. This kind of “undress” abuse is alarmingly widespread, with teenage boys allegedly creating images of their classmates. Tech companies have been slow to deal with the scale of the issues, critics say, with the websites appearing highly in search results, paid advertisements promoting them on social media, and apps showing up in app stores.

“This is a continuation of a trend that normalizes sexual violence against women and girls by Big Tech,” says Adam Dodge, a lawyer and founder of EndTAB (Ending Technology-Enabled Abuse). “Sign-in APIs are tools of convenience. We should never be making sexual violence an act of convenience,” he says. “We should be putting up walls around the access to these apps, and instead we're giving people a drawbridge.”

The sign-in tools analyzed by WIRED, which are deployed through APIs and common authentication methods, allow people to use existing accounts to join the deepfake websites. Google’s login system appeared on 16 websites, Discord’s appeared on 13, and Apple’s on six. X’s button was on three websites, with Patreon and messaging service Line’s both appearing on the same two websites.

WIRED is not naming the websites, since they enable abuse. Several are part of wider networks and owned by the same individuals or companies. The login systems have been used despite the tech companies broadly having rules that state developers cannot use their services in ways that would enable harm, harassment, or invade people’s privacy.

After being contacted by WIRED, spokespeople for Discord and Apple said they have removed the developer accounts connected to their websites. Google said it will take action against developers when it finds its terms have been violated. Patreon said it prohibits accounts that allow explicit imagery to be created, and Line confirmed it is investigating but said it could not comment on specific websites. X did not reply to a request for comment about the way its systems are being used.

In the hours after Jud Hoffman, Discord vice president of trust and safety, told WIRED it had terminated the websites’ access to its APIs for violating its developer policy, one of the undress websites posted in a Telegram channel that authorization via Discord was “temporarily unavailable” and claimed it was trying to restore access. That undress service did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment about its operations.

Rapid Expansion

Since deepfake technology emerged toward the end of 2017, the number of nonconsensual intimate videos and images being created has grown exponentially. While videos are harder to produce, the creation of images using “undress” or “nudify” websites and apps has become commonplace.

“We must be clear that this is not innovation, this is sexual abuse,” says David Chiu, San Francisco’s city attorney, who recently opened a lawsuit against undress and nudify websites and their creators. Chiu says the 16 websites his office’s lawsuit focuses on have had around 200 million visits in the first six months of this year alone. “These websites are engaged in horrific exploitation of women and girls around the globe. These images are used to bully, humiliate, and threaten women and girls,” Chiu alleges.

The undress websites operate as businesses, often running in the shadows—proactively providing very few details about who owns them or how they operate. Websites run by the same people often look similar and use nearly identical terms and conditions. Some offer more than a dozen different languages, demonstrating the worldwide nature of the problem. Some Telegram channels linked to the websites have tens of thousands of members each.

The websites are also under constant development: They frequently post about new features they are producing—with one claiming their AI can customize how women’s bodies look and allow “uploads from Instagram.” The websites generally charge people to generate images and can run affiliate schemes to encourage people to share them; some have pooled together into a collective to create their own cryptocurrency that could be used to pay for images.

A person identifying themself as Alexander August and the CEO of one of the websites, responded to WIRED, saying they “understand and acknowledge the concerns regarding the potential misuse of our technology.” The person claims the website has put in place various safety mechanisms to prevent images of minors being created. “We are committed to taking social responsibility and are open to collaborating with official bodies to enhance transparency, safety, and reliability in our services,” they wrote in an email.

The tech company logins are often presented when someone tries to sign up to the site or clicks on buttons to try generating images. It is unclear how many people will have used the login methods, and most websites also allow people to create accounts with just their email address. However, of the websites reviewed, the majority had implemented the sign-in APIs of more than one technology company, with Sign-In With Google being the most widely used. When this option is clicked, prompts from the Google system say the website will get people’s name, email addresses, language preferences, and profile picture.

Google’s sign-in system also reveals some information about the developer accounts linked to a website. For example, four websites are linked to one Gmail account; another six websites are linked to another. “In order to use Sign in with Google, developers must agree to our Terms of Service, which prohibits the promotion of sexually explicit content as well as behavior or content that defames or harasses others,” says a Google spokesperson, adding that “appropriate action” will be taken if these terms are broken.

Other tech companies that had sign-in systems being used said they have banned accounts after being contacted by WIRED.

Hoffman from Discord says that as well as taking action on the websites flagged by WIRED, the company will “continue to address other websites we become aware of that violate our policies.” Apple spokesperson Shane Bauer says it has terminated multiple developer’s licenses with Apple, and that Sign In With Apple will no longer work on their websites. Adiya Taylor, corporate communications lead at Patreon, says it prohibits accounts that allow or fund access to external tools that can produce adult materials or explicit imagery. “We will take action on any works or accounts on Patreon that are found to be in violation of our Community Guidelines.”

As well as the login systems, several of the websites displayed the logos of Mastercard or Visa, implying they can possibly be used to pay for their services. Visa did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment, while a Mastercard spokesperson says “purchases of nonconsensual deepfake content are not allowed on our network,” and that it takes action when it detects or is made aware of any instances.

On multiple occasions, tech companies and payment providers have taken action against AI services allowing people to generate nonconsensual images or video after media reports about their activities. Clare McGlynn, a professor of law at Durham University who has expertise in the legal regulation of pornography and sexual violence and abuse online, says Big Tech platforms are enabling the growth of undress websites and similar websites by not proactively taking action against them.

“What is concerning is that these are the most basic of security steps and moderation that are missing or not being enforced,” McGlynn says of the sign-in systems being used, adding that it is “wholly inadequate” for companies to react when journalists or campaigners highlight how their rules are being easily dodged. “It is evident that they simply do not care, despite their rhetoric,” McGlynn says. “Otherwise they would have taken these most simple steps to reduce access.”

[xannador]

Have you considered going to Pillowfort?

Long answer down below:

I have been to the Sheezys, the Buzzlys, the Mastodons, etc. These platforms all saw a surge of new activity whenever big sites did something unpopular. But they always quickly died because of mismanagement or users going back to their old haunts due to lack of activity or digital Stockholm syndrome.

From what I have personally seen, a website that was purely created as an alternative to another has little chance of taking off. It it's going to work, it needs to be developed naturally and must fill a different niche. I mean look at Zuckerberg's Threads; died as fast as it blew up. Will Pillowford be any different?

The only alternative that I found with potential was the fediverse (mastodon) because of its decentralized nature. So people could make their own rules. If Jack Dorsey's new dating app Bluesky gets integrated into this system, it might have a chance. Although decentralized communities will be faced with unique challenges of their own (egos being one of the biggest, I think).

Trying to build a new platform right now might be a waste of time anyway because AI is going to completely reshape the Internet as we know it. This new technology is going to send shockwaves across the world akin to those caused by the invention of the Internet itself over 40 years ago. I'm sure most people here are aware of the damage it is doing to artists and writers. You have also likely seen the other insidious applications. Social media is being bombarded with a flood of fake war footage/other AI-generated disinformation. If you posted a video of your own voice online, criminals can feed it into an AI to replicate it and contact your bank in an attempt to get your financial info. You can make anyone who has recorded themselves say and do whatever you want. Children are using AI to make revenge porn of their classmates as a new form of bullying. Politicians are saying things they never said in their lives. Google searches are being poisoned by people who use AI to data scrape news sites to generate nonsensical articles and clickbait. Soon video evidence will no longer be used in court because we won't be able to tell real footage from deep fakes.

50% of the Internet's traffic is now bots. In some cases, websites and forums have been reduced to nothing more than different chatbots talking to each other, with no humans in sight.

I don't think we have to count on government intervention to solve this problem. The Western world could ban all AI tomorrow and other countries that are under no obligation to follow our laws or just don't care would continue to use it to poison the Internet. Pandora's box is open, and there's no closing it now.

Yet I cannot stand an Internet where I post a drawing or comic and the only interactions I get are from bots that are so convincing that I won't be able to tell the difference between them and real people anymore. When all that remains of art platforms are waterfalls of AI sludge where my work is drowned out by a virtually infinite amount of pictures that are generated in a fraction of a second. While I had to spend +40 hours for a visually inferior result.

If that is what I can expect to look forward to, I might as well delete what remains of my Internet presence today. I don't know what to do and I don't know where to go. This is a depressing post. I wish, after the countless hours I spent looking into this problem, I would be able to offer a solution.

All I know for sure is that artists should not remain on "Art/Creative" platforms that deliberately steal their work to feed it to their own AI or sell their data to companies that will. I left Artstation and DeviantArt for those reasons and I want to do the same with Tumblr. It's one thing when social media like Xitter, Tik Tok or Instagram do it, because I expect nothing less from the filth that runs those. But creative platforms have the obligation to, if not protect, at least not sell out their users.

But good luck convincing the entire collective of Tumblr, Artstation, and DeviantArt to leave. Especially when there is no good alternative. The Internet has never been more centralized into a handful of platforms, yet also never been more lonely and scattered. I miss the sense of community we artists used to have.

The truth is that there is nowhere left to run. Because everywhere is the same. You can try using Glaze or Nightshade to protect your work. But I don't know if I trust either of them. I don't trust anything that offers solutions that are 'too good to be true'. And even if take those preemptive measures, what is to stop the tech bros from updating their scrapers to work around Glaze and steal your work anyway? I will admit I don't entirely understand how the technology works so I don't know if this is a legitimate concern. But I'm just wondering if this is going to become some kind of digital arms race between tech bros and artists? Because that is a battle where the artists lose.

[beardedmrbean]

Apple has been fined €1.8bn (£1.5bn) by the EU for breaking competition laws over music streaming.

The firm had prevented streaming services from informing users of payment options outside the Apple app store, the European Commission said.

Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said Apple abused its dominant position in the market for a decade.

She ordered the US tech giant to remove all the restrictions. Apple has said it will appeal against the decision.

The European Commission's decision was triggered by a complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify, which was unhappy about the restriction and Apple's 30% fee..

Ms Vestager said Apple had restricted "developers from informing consumers about alternative, cheaper music services available outside of the Apple ecosystem".

"This is illegal under EU antitrust rules," she said.

However, Apple said it would appeal, adding there was no evidence consumers had been harmed.

"The decision was reached despite the Commission's failure to uncover any credible evidence of consumer harm, and ignores the realities of a market that is thriving, competitive, and growing fast," the company said in a statement.

"The primary advocate for this decision, and the biggest beneficiary, is Spotify, a company based in Stockholm, Sweden.

"Spotify has the largest music streaming app in the world, and has met with the EC [European Commission] more than 65 times during this investigation," it said.

Spotify attacks Apple's 'outrageous' 27% commission

Spotify called the fine handed out to Apple "an important moment" and said it sent "a powerful message" that "no company, not even a monopoly like Apple, can wield power abusively to control how other companies interact with their customers".

Apple said the Swedish company pays no commission to them as it sells its subscriptions on its website and not on the app store.

Spotify had argued that the restrictions benefit Apple's rival music streaming service, Apple Music.

Digital Markets Act

In January, Apple announced plans to allow EU customers to download apps outside of their own app store, as the introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) drew closer.

The aim of the European Union's DMA is to help competition in the technology sector and to try to break down the stronghold the likes of Apple and Google have on the market.

The tech companies were given six months from August last year to comply with a full list of requirements under the new legislation, or face a fine of up to 10% of their annual turnover.

The firms have until later this week to comply with a raft of changes announced since the start of the year, as Apple, Meta and TikTok pursue challenges to aspects of the law.

Law professor at EDHEC, Anne Witt, told the BBC the DMA will have a "significant impact" on the way designated platforms operate within the EU.

"It is a more effective but also much blunter legal tool in the fight against market concentration in the digital economy," she said.

Last week, Spotify and 33 other companies operating across a wide range of digital sectors wrote to the European Commission with a renewed attack on Apple's "lack of compliance" with the DMA.

"Apple's new terms not only disregard both the spirit and letter of the law, but if left unchanged, make a mockery of the DMA and the considerable efforts by the European Commission and EU institutions to make digital markets competitive," it said.

[mr-geargrinder]

Last few days have been a whirlwind of stuff happening with all this WotC OGL 1.1 business. The leaks were real. The document is now out there. We’ve got confirmations and insider rumors saying that WotC totally knows everyone is pissed, they still think this plan will make them more money, the cancellation of D&D Beyond subs is making them panic, and worst of all, they still think they can push forward with their plans, but they’re going to wait for things to cool down first. 

And then Paizo comes out and says they not even going to fuck around with the OGL, though they will fight WotC in court if it comes to that. Until then, they’re hard at work making a new Open RPG Creative License (ORC) for everyone to use, perpetually, irrevocably, forever, because fuck you WotC, that’s why.

That’s a lot to process on its own and that’s not even everything that’s happened in the last 12 or so hours. 

I think the unsubbing idea is really good, but I’ve also seen a few people who are treating it like it’s a temporary thing. They’re waiting for WotC to back down, rescind the OGL 1.1 entirely, apologize, and then expect everyone to go back to giving them money and buying any product they put out. I think that would be a terrible outcome and I hope that everyone following this developing story understands why.

The OGL changes are just the start. There’s stuff in there about VTTs and other forms of media. WotC has the D&D movie coming out this year and a D&D series in the works, too. They wanted their VTT to be the biggest, most used one on the market, partially by strangling their competition. There’s also very clear plans to pursue further monetization and microtransactions. The OGL wasn’t just about gutting the competition, it was about making sure there was only one platform, under their control, where D&D would live, and where as much of the money as possible would go into WotC’s pockets. 

You can go on D&D Beyond right now and buy individual stat blocks or single magic item descriptions from their official modules. There’s no reason for that to even be an option, but you know that once they finally get their VTT and their new app and the new not-a-new Edition of D&D running, there will be many more things available in microtransaction form. Just a few taps, like Fortnite does, to get some new minis or some fancy effects for your character sheet, or whatever stupid little bullshit they can cram in there to milk people for more money... 

It’s THE WORLD’S GREATEST ROLEPLAYING GAME™ after all. No way they wouldn’t tap as many creators and influencers and possible, eagerly showing you how cool it is to be immersed in D&D, the lifestyle brand, spending money on the integrated D&D Beyond App.

All this to say I don’t think anyone should be going back to WotC and D&D unless there’s some massive course corrections that likely aren’t coming after they spent 150 million to purchase D&D beyond. In my opinion, I think WotC has been a very awful company for longer than it’s been good, anyways. The people they’ve got in charge now are the worst they’ve ever had.

The chances of WotC getting their shit together and not being a scummy company who tries to scam their customers are very low. In my opinion, it’s in everyone’s best interest to just be done with WotC. There are better publishers and independent game designers out there who would greatly appreciate a little bit of love, and I guarantee you that there’s nothing D&D has that you can’t get somewhere else or can’t bring with you.

[chatbox360suite]

Use the Right Whatsapp Message to Communicate Better To Promote Business

WhatsApp become the right platform for communication in both personal and professional contexts. It reaches a large user base and provides free and easy communication. If you are an official business, you should switch to the WhatsApp Business API. You have to check out the whatsapp message api pricing before going to hire a service. Businesses may incorporate WhatsApp's messaging features into their apps with the help of this potent technology.

Benefits of WhatsApp Business API

For businesses trying to develop relationships with their clients, WhatsApp Business API is a one-time expense. Let us explore the ten greatest benefits of the WhatsApp business API. Capabilities for real-time messaging in one app connected to the cloud are WhatsApp Business API. Real-time message sending and receiving is the biggest benefit. This instantaneous dialogue and interaction with your clients offers immediate assistance and answers their questions. For example, you can answer right away to a customer's question regarding whether a particular product is available. This facilitates effective communication and encourages them to purchase it.

Increased customer satisfaction:

A component of the API enables chatbots or pre-written message templates to provide instantaneous answers to frequently asked questions. This implies that even beyond business hours, clients obtain prompt responses. You can set up an automatic message to respond to a customer's inquiry regarding the shipment status of their order in real-time, guaranteeing their pleasure and cutting down on response time.

Personalized interactions 

It is not feasible to manually compile information about your customers' preferences based on their transactions or interactions. This problem is resolved by the WhatsApp Business API, which collects client data and uses it to provide tailored messages. Provide customized product recommendations to customers based on their past purchases or searches. Customers are drawn to your website by targeted messaging, increasing the likelihood of a successful sale.

Multimedia messaging options

The WhatsApp Business API offers free support for rich multimedia communications, in contrast to regular SMS. Using WhatsApp, you may send your clients documents, photos, videos, and even voice snippets. This creates innovative opportunities for grabbing clients' attention graphically. Send infographics to your clients to highlight your most recent products so they can view the specifics and decide what to buy.

Automated responses and chatbots

WhatsApp Business API's ability to use chatbots and automated responses is one of its main features. You can program responses to be sent out automatically in the event that a consumer contacts your company with a typical question, like finding out the status of an order. With the WhatsApp API, a chatbot may be integrated to offer immediate assistance. Time is saved, and timely and consistent customer service is guaranteed.

Conclusion:

You are able to manage several discussions at once with efficiency. By allocating support agents to individual chats, the API is an excellent method of guaranteeing that clients receive prompt responses. Using automated routing increases client loyalty and happiness. The WhatsApp business API cost helps to provide great support at all times. The WhatsApp Business API enables better response times and round-the-clock accessibility. In contrast to conventional customer care channels that have set hours of operation, WhatsApp allows businesses to offer 24/7 service.

[drlinguo]

I assume you work in the linguistics field right? I'm thinking about studying linguistics in some form bc I think it's quite interesting but I'm not sure what I'd even do with it (apart from becoming a researcher I guess?)

Good question. Well, depending on the skills you acquire in your university (you should check out what is the orientation of your linguistics department), you could work in: publishing companies; developing apps that work with language; AI development, some governmental departments look for linguists who redact laws; law enforcement; etc. There are many different types of jobs for linguists.

Take a look at https://linguistlist.org/ This is (I would think) the biggest mailing list for linguists. There you will find many different types of job offers.

It would be recommendable to read a book about linguistics before you start studying it. You will spend a lot of time with the subject you choose, so you should really have fun with it. I could recommend "Language Unlimited" by David Adger

[hebrewbyinbal]

If you didn't know this already, let me share something important with you: Every success story you share is the driving force behind everything I do at Hebrew by Inbal.

Unlike apps focused on maximizing user time for profit, or big companies where you’re just another user, every course, resource, and program I create stems from months of dedicated hard work, all aimed at one thing: Your Success.

I meticulously craft each resource—from Hebrew 1, 2 & 3, to my Coloring Book, and Hebrew Notebooks—ensuring they have everything you need to thrive, and enjoy every minute of it.

Practically Speaking Hebrew - my conversational course - isn’t just another Hebrew course; it’s built on unique methods I’ve developed, providing a fast track not only to speaking Hebrew but to deeply understanding it.

The difference when learning with me? You're not just a user or a statistic. You are the inspiration behind all my efforts. You know who your teacher is—my credentials and dedication—and that I’m always here to support you, answer your questions, and guide you personally on your journey.

I get up every morning with one goal in mind: to make your learning journey successful, rewarding, motivating, enjoyable, and affordable. That is why you always get exceptional value for your time, effort, and investment, whether through free resources or paid programs.

So, how has your experience been so far? Which of my programs or resources has made the biggest difference for you?

[archiveofkloss]

“We’re just seeing the very beginning of what’s ahead and what will be possible,” the supermodel and entrepreneur tells ELLE.

karlie on the future of women in tech:

"I’ve been doing this work for almost a decade now, and so much has changed in ways that make me very optimistic. I went to a public school in Missouri. I’m 31 years old, so it’s been a while since I was in high school, but back when I was a student, they did not have computer science programs. Now they do, and so do many, many, many public schools and private schools across the United States. There are now entry points for women and girls to start to learn how to code. It is much more understood how much technology is a part of shaping our world in every industry—not just in Silicon Valley, but also in music, media, finance, and business. But there’s a lot more, unfortunately, that continues to need to happen."

on growing kode with klossy into a global nonprofit:

"Kode With Klossy focuses on creating inclusive spaces that teach highly technical skills. We have AI machine learning and web dev. We have mobile app development and data science. They all are very creative applications of technology. Ultimately, right now, our programs are rooted in teaching the fundamentals of code and scaling the amount of people in our programs. This summer, we’re going to have 5,000 scholarships for free that we are giving to students to be a part of Kode With Klossy. We’ve trained hundreds of teachers through the years. We’ll have a few hundred instructors and instructor assistants this summer alone in our program. So what we’re focused on is continuing to ignite creative passion around technology."

on using technology to advance the fashion industry:

"We’re just seeing the very beginning of what’s ahead and what will be possible. That’s why it’s so important people realize that tech is not just for tech alone. It is [a tool to] drive better solutions across all industries and all businesses. Fashion is one of the biggest polluters of water. The industry has a lot of big problems to solve, and that’s part of why I’m optimistic and excited about more people seeing the overlap between the two. There is intersection in these spaces, and we can drive solutions in scalable ways when we see these intersections."

on embracing your fears:

"Natalie Massenet, the founder of Net-a-Porter, is an amazing entrepreneur and somebody I feel lucky to call a friend. She asked me years ago, and it’s always stuck with me through different personal and professional moments, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” That has always resonated, because we can get so stuck in our heads about being afraid of all sorts of different things—afraid of what other people will think, afraid of failure."

on the value of community in entrepreneurship:

"It takes a lot of courage for anyone [to be an entrepreneur]. It doesn’t matter your gender, your age, your experience level, that’s where community really does make a difference. It’s not just a talking point. So many of our Kode With Klossy scholars have come back as instructor assistants, and are now in peer leadership positions. So many of them have gone on to win hackathons and scholarships. It comes down to this collective community that continues to support and foster new connections among each other."

on breathing new life into Life magazine:

"Part of why I’m so excited about what we can build and what we are building with Bedford [Media, the company launched by Kloss and her husband, Joshua Kushner] is this intersection of a creative space like media—print media—and how you can continue to drive innovation with technology. And so that’s something that we’re very focused on, how to integrate the two. Lots more that we’re going to share at the right time, but we’re heads down on building the team and the company right now. I’m super excited."

on showing up for the people you love:

"I have two young babies, and I want to be the best mom I can be. So many of us are juggling so many different responsibilities and identities, both personally and professionally. Having women in leadership positions is so important, because our lived experiences are different from our male counterparts. And by the way, theirs is different from ours. It matters that, in leadership positions, to have different lived experiences across ages, genders, geographies, and ethnicities. It ultimately leads to better outcomes. All that to say, I’m just trying the best I can every day to show up for the people that I love and do what I can to help others."

on the intrinsic value in heirloom pieces:

"For our wedding, my husband bought me a beautiful Cartier watch. Some day I will pass that on to our daughter, if I’m lucky enough to have one. Or [I’ll pass it on to] my son; I have two sons. For our wedding, I also bought myself beautiful diamond earrings. There was something very symbolic about that to me, like, okay, I can also buy myself something. That’s why jewelry, to me—as we’re talking about female entrepreneurship and women in business and women in tech—is something that’s so emotional and personal. So I bought myself these vintage diamond earrings from the ’20s, with this beautiful, rich history of where they had been and who had owned them and wore them before. That’s the power of jewelry, whether it’s vintage or new, you create memories and it marks moments in life and in time. And then to be able to share that with future generations is something I find really beautiful."

[devoqdesignagency]

UI/UX Design Agency in the USA : Enhancing Digital Experiences

In today's digital age, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design play a critical role in the success of online businesses. As more companies realize the importance of providing intuitive and engaging digital experiences to their users, the demand for skilled UI/UX design agencies is on the rise. In the USA, particularly in California, a hub of technological innovation, UI/UX design agencies are helping businesses elevate their online presence and drive growth.

Importance of UI/UX Design for Businesses

UI/UX design is not just about making a website or app visually appealing; it's about creating an experience that delights and engages users. A well-designed user interface ensures that users can easily navigate a website or app and find the information they need. On the other hand, a good user experience design focuses on the emotional aspect of the interaction, ensuring that users have a positive impression of the brand.

What is a UI/UX Design Agency?

A UI/UX design agency is a company that specializes in creating user-friendly interfaces and experiences for websites, mobile apps, and other digital products. These agencies employ a team of designers, developers, and user experience experts who work together to create compelling digital experiences that meet the needs of both businesses and their users.

UI/UX Design Agency Services

UI/UX design agencies offer a range of services to help businesses improve their digital presence. These services may include user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing. By employing a holistic approach to design, these agencies can create seamless and intuitive experiences that drive user engagement and satisfaction.

How to Choose the Right UI/UX Design Agency

Choosing the right UI/UX design agency is crucial for the success of your project. When selecting an agency, consider factors such as their portfolio, expertise, and client reviews. It's also important to ensure that the agency understands your business goals and can tailor their services to meet your specific needs.

Top UI/UX Design Agencies in the USA

The USA is home to many top-tier UI/UX design agencies that have earned a reputation for excellence in the field. Some of the leading agencies include IDEO, Frog Design, and us two. These agencies have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world and have a proven track record of delivering exceptional design solutions.

UI/UX Design Agency in California

California, with its vibrant tech scene, is a hotbed for UI/UX design agencies. Companies in California benefit from the state's innovative spirit and access to top talent. Some of the notable UI/UX design agencies in California include RNO1, Ramotion, and Clay. These agencies are known for their creative approach to design and their ability to deliver results that exceed client expectations.

Case Studies of Successful UI/UX Design Projects

To illustrate the impact of UI/UX design, we can look at some real-world examples of successful projects. For instance, Airbnb's redesign of its website and app led to a significant increase in user engagement and bookings. Similarly, the redesign of the Starbucks app resulted in a 40% increase in mobile orders. These case studies highlight the importance of investing in good design for business success.

Trends in UI/UX Design

UI/UX design is a constantly evolving field, with new trends and technologies emerging all the time. Some of the current trends in UI/UX design include dark mode, 3D elements, and micro-interactions. By staying abreast of these trends, UI/UX design agencies can create designs that feel fresh and modern.

Future of UI/UX Design

Looking ahead, the future of UI/UX design looks promising. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more immersive and interactive digital experiences. AI and machine learning are also likely to play a bigger role in UI/UX design, helping to personalize the user experience and streamline design processes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, UI/UX design is a critical aspect of modern business success. By investing in good design and working with a reputable UI/UX design agency, businesses can create digital experiences that delight users and drive growth. Whether you're in the USA or California, there are plenty of top-tier agencies ready to help you elevate your digital presence.

FAQs

What is the difference between UI and UX design? User interface (UI) design focuses on the visual elements of a digital product, such as layout, colors, and typography. User experience (UX) design, on the other hand, is concerned with the overall feel of the product and how users interact with it. How can UI/UX design benefit my business? UI/UX design can benefit your business by improving user satisfaction, increasing user engagement, and driving conversions. A well-designed digital product can also help enhance your brand image and credibility. How much does it cost to hire a UI/UX design agency? The cost of hiring a UI/UX design agency can vary depending on the scope of your project and the agency's expertise. It's best to get quotes from several agencies and compare their services and pricing before making a decision. What should I look for in a UI/UX design agency? When choosing a UI/UX design agency, look for a company with a strong portfolio, relevant experience, and positive client reviews. It's also important to ensure that the agency understands your business goals and can deliver results that align with your vision. How can I stay updated on the latest UI/UX design trends? To stay updated on the latest UI/UX design trends, consider following industry blogs, attending design conferences, and networking with other professionals in the field. Additionally, subscribing to design newsletters and joining online communities can help you stay informed.

[faaun]

i want to be a machine learning engineer but some of u guys r making it embarrassing actually. long but IMO important explanation below. We have bigger issues to deal w and better things to focus on.

like our planet is dying and the commercialisation of massive AI models and training the models themselves releases like hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions. and this includes very "nonessential" models that don't tend to contribute much to society (re: new fancy image generation toy). but u have decided your new career path is "AI artist" (glorified prompt-writer?) .

and just as bad, some of you have decided the biggest issue w AI is those people, the glorified prompt writers!! you draw more attention to it instead of focusing on the real problems behind AI and the ethics of training models! about the harm it causes to the planet, about web-scraping limitations basically not existing (stolen art falls under this domain), copyright laws to do with AI, the way facial recognition deals with race, about the boundaries between letting AI learn and develop in an "unbiased" way vs preventing sociopolitical damage at the cost of (potentially) further progress.

conversely, there is nowhere NEAR enough focus about how AI can help us overcome some of our fundamental problems. i love machine learning bc i find it - specifically the maths behind it - fascinating and i believe one day it could help us make very cool advancements, as it already has. i think the mathematical architectures and processes behind creating new deep learning models are beautiful. i also know the damage capitalists will inevitably do - they always wield powerful, beautiful new tools as weapons.

AND HERE YOU ARE FALLING FOR IT! it's very frustrating to watch!! if you're angry on behalf of artists, i'm begging you to protect the rights of artists and be mad at greedy companies instead of villanising a tool that can help us immensely! learn about AI ethics, learn about how it is present in our lives, what we should try to stop, what we should promote.

if you "boycott AI" as a whole with no desire to gain more literacy on the topic other than "steals art therefore bad", you will have to be against your translate app, your search engine, your email spam filter, almost everything on your phone that categorises anything (i.e. pretty much all of your search functions), NPC enemies in games, your medical diagnostic tools, your phone's face unlock, your maps app, online banking, accessibility tools that help blind and deaf people, new advancements in genetic sequencing and protein folding and treating cancer and modelling new solutions in physics and so on and so on.

the issue isn't all AI as a whole. the issue is A) how companies are using it and B) how a lot of you guys are getting mad at the concept of AI instead of responding to A.

[mariacallous]

Apple has a Spotify problem—and it just cost the iPhone maker a $2 billion fine from the European Commission.

For years, the two companies have been at war as the streaming service lured users away from Apple’s iTunes and accused the tech giant of exploiting its dominance to stifle innovation. In their long-running conflict, each has made incursions into the other’s territory. When Apple launched its own streaming service, Apple Music, in 2015, Spotify claimed Apple was able to undercut the platform’s prices because Apple didn’t have to pay the same App Store fees as rivals. In 2019, Spotify began an ambitious podcast spending spree, splashing out on high-profile shows, in another direct challenge to Apple.

The feud’s early days were civil, with few barbs traded in public. “We worry about the humanity being drained out of music,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in 2018, a cryptic comment widely interpreted as a jibe at Spotify’s heavy use of algorithmic recommendations. But Spotify became more outspoken as EU politicians started to call for laws to reign in Big Tech. The €1.8 billion ($1.9 billion) fine on Apple announced by the European Commission today shows that its tactics are working. The fine originates in a legal complaint filed with the European Commission by Spotify in 2019, challenging the restrictions and fees Apple places on developers listing their apps in the App Store. Today the European Commission agreed, saying that Apple’s App Store restrictions amount to unfair trading conditions that may have led iOS users to pay significantly higher prices for music streaming subscriptions.

“For a decade, Apple abused its dominant position in the market for the distribution of music streaming apps through the App Store,” said Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition chief, in a statement. “They did so by restricting developers from informing consumers about alternative, cheaper music services available outside of the Apple ecosystem.”

Apple’s App Store rules restrict music streaming companies and other apps from informing their users on Apple devices about how to upgrade or sign up for subscription offers outside of the app. Instead, app users can only see sign-up options for in-app subscriptions via Apple’s payments system, where prices are likely to be higher because Apple takes a cut. Some app makers, including Spotify, do not offer in-app purchases because they don’t want to pay this commission. "Some consumers may have paid more because they were unaware they could pay less if they subscribed outside the app,” Vestager said. “This is illegal under EU antitrust rules.” Apple, which says the EU has failed to provide credible evidence of consumer harm, has pledged to appeal.

Big Number

The fine is far bigger than expected, prompting Apple’s stock to drop 3 percent on Monday. Media reports based on unnamed sources had predicted a penalty of around €500 million. It’s also one of the biggest fines the EU has ever issued against a tech company, ranking below only two Google fines of $5.1 billion and $2.4 billion. Vestager explained in a press conference that the scale of the fine is intended to prevent the company from breaking rules in the future. She added that the amount includes a “lump sum” to “achieve deterrence.” $1.9 billion amounts to 0.5 percent of Apple’s global turnover, she said.

Although Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has expressed disapproval of Apple’s business tactics, he’s also something of a reluctant figurehead in Europe’s fight against Apple. The self-described introvert has adopted the role of spokesperson for disgruntled European app developers who finally feel their complaints about Big Tech are being heard.

On Monday, Ek posted a video on X in which he described Apple as a threat to the open internet. “Apple has decided that they want to close down the internet and make it theirs, and they view every single person using an iPhone to be their user and that they should be able to dictate what that user experience should be,” he said. Ek also claimed Apple wants to effectively levy a tax on Spotify while exempting its own music service, Apple Music.

Apple hit back at Spotify in a statement posted to its website. The company pushed back on the idea that Spotify had suffered as a result of its policies, instead describing the platform as an App Store success story, pointing out that Spotify’s app has been downloaded, redownloaded, or updated more than 119 billion times onto Apple phones.

“We’ve even flown our engineers to Stockholm to help Spotify’s teams in person,” Apple’s statement said. For all that, Apple says, Spotify pays them nothing. “But free isn’t enough for Spotify,” the statement continues. “They also want to rewrite the rules of the App Store—in a way that advantages them even more.”

Spotify is one of the few European consumer tech companies with a significant global business, so people in the continent’s tech community listen when it speaks out. Spotify’s latest criticisms are spurring more European developers to complain about what they consider to be unfair treatment by the tech giant—putting the European Commission under even more pressure to act. “Apple holds app providers ransom like the Mafia,” Matthias Pfau, CEO and cofounder of Tuta, an encrypted email provider based in Germany, told WIRED last month, echoing frustrations also voiced by US app developers such as Epic Games.

For Apple, Spotify’s success today is potentially an omen of future action from the EU. This week marks the deadline for compliance with Europe’s Digital Markets Act, a new antitrust law designed to prevent the internet from coming under the control of only a handful of big—usually American—platforms. The new law gives Europe the power to fine tech companies up to 20 percent of their global turnover, meaning future fines could make dwarf $2 billion levied on Apple today.

“This is the commission saying, ‘We're going to be tough, particularly on Apple,’” says Max von Thun, Europe director of the Open Markets Institute, of the decision today. “I see this as kind of small compared to what's to come.”

[dadjoke-ness]

As a fandom, we need to let The Pokemon Company and Nintendo know we are not only okay with delays, we’d prefer them if it made the game better.

Simply put, currently they have to achieve a quota of one game for year - this is because while The Pokemon Company is doing fine financially (merch, anime, and app games actually make them more money) and Nintendo is always going to do fine financially, Nintendo and TPC likely have a contract where games have to make so much a year. This is because Nintendo only owns/controls 33% of The Pokemon Company - specifically the switch game division, so their only pokemon money comes from the games. 

However, pokemon is one of their biggest sellers. It’s the only one where they have a guaranteed new generation every 3-4 years, and at least one guaranteed spin off game every year. We don’t see this for many other big name games. Legend of Zelda is allowed delays. Mario is not released this religiously. Yokai Watch (though they don’t give it to the rest of the world) is allowed delays and they take their time to make honestly gorgeous games with awful creatures. The closest we get to this grind is Final Fantasy, and I can name only a handful of stand out characters. Pokemon has this expectation from nintendo - they always come out right before the holidays so people buy them as gifts for Christmas. The pokemon games also boost sales for other parts of nintendo - many players admit only buying a 3ds or a Switch because of pokemon. And the points from buying pokemon let you get other games on sale that you can get for “free” or steeply discounted, as pokemon games give you 300 points each - the games you can get for free with your points alone right now is actually quite impressive and I can personally recommend several of them. 

But how do we fix it? Simply put, we need a way to communicate we ARE okay with a new generation taking 4 or even 5 years. The reason for the deadline is because fans got so angry waiting for previous generations that they have to adhere to a very strict “every 3 years” timeline, and have done so since between gen 5 and 6. But I remember back in between gens 6 and 7, a gap of only 3 years, people complaining that the new generation was taking so long to come out, why do we have to wait three years between new generations. That loud backlash for the completely normal wait time made the Pokemon Company and Nintendo unwilling to delay pokemon at all - and that one was already on a completely average timeline. But that is also why after Sun and Moon, we got USUM a year later, the same game but cleaned up and with more features. We got what the game would have been if they were allowed an extra year to work on it. 

We need to hold this as an example and push against anyone who complains if the tenth generation takes an extra year. We need to say “yes, but the developers need time to make the game good” and hold that line. 

Because while we all agree they needed more time now, in two years I can almost GUARANTEE people will be complaining at how slowly news of the tenth generation comes out, complaining about how much time it takes to get a new generation while playing whatever remake is on the switch.

And we need to hold that line. We need to be able to say “Scarlet and Violet were fun, and we want a game that fun with time given to make it run well. With time given to check for bugs. We want the new generation to have a delay if they need it, and we won’t complain too much if it takes up to an extra year.”

We need to take an example from the Zelda community. They didn’t complain when Tears of the Kingdom was delayed, they’re excited because delaying a Zelda game means that it is going to be friggen GOOD. And we need to send Pokemon the same message, that it is okay to delay something if the delay makes it good.