UK’s New Law Kills 20-Year-Old Browser Game Urban Dead
Online Safety Act: A Game Changer for the Web
In an unexpected twist, a popular 20-year-old browser game, Urban Dead, has been shut down due to the UK’s new Online Safety Act. This move shows that this law can have big effects on online games and communities. Let’s find out more about this act and what it means for online games.
What’s the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act 2023 is a new law in the UK that aims to protect people online. It makes digital services like social media and search engines follow new rules. These rules include finding and fixing risks of harmful content. Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, will make sure these rules are followed.
How Does It Affect Games Like Urban Dead?
Urban Dead, a game that lets players interact and create their own content, had to shut down because of this new law. The game’s operators might have found it hard to follow the act’s strict rules. Here’s what the act says:
- Risk Assessments: All online services must check for and fix risks of harmful content by March 16, 2025.
- Ofcom’s Powers: Ofcom can ask for information, check if rules are followed, and even visit places to make sure the law is obeyed.
- Penalties: If rules are not followed, there can be big fines – up to 10% of global revenue or £18 million, whichever is greater.
Balancing Safety and Freedom
The Online Safety Act wants to keep people safe online, especially children. But it also raises questions about censorship and how it might affect smaller online communities and games.
What Does This Mean for Online Games?
The shutdown of Urban Dead shows that the Online Safety Act can have a big impact on online games. Game developers and service providers need to understand and follow these new rules. The online world is changing, and this act will shape what we can see and do online.
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