Online Safety Act: A Big Change for Online Games
The UK’s new Online Safety Act has caused quite a stir. It’s closed down a popular browser game called Urban Dead, which has been around for 20 years! This shows that this new law can have a big impact 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 is a new law in the UK. It’s designed to make the internet safer, especially for children. It tells digital services, like social media and search engines, what they must do to protect users from harmful content. This includes finding and stopping illegal content.
Why Did Urban Dead Close?
Urban Dead is a game where players can create their own content and interact with each other. This might have made it difficult for the game’s operators to follow the new rules in the Online Safety Act. While we don’t know the exact reason, it’s likely that the game’s operators had trouble keeping the game safe and following the new law.
What Does the Online Safety Act Say?
- Risk Assessments: All online services must check for and stop illegal content by March 16, 2025.
- Ofcom’s Powers: Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, can check if services are following the rules and even fine them if they’re not.
- Penalties: If a service doesn’t follow the rules, it could be fined up to 10% of its global revenue or £18 million, whichever is greater.
Balancing Safety and Freedom
The Online Safety Act wants to keep people safe online, but it also needs to let people express themselves freely. While it’s important to protect children from harmful content, some people worry that this act might stop smaller online communities and services from operating.
What Does This Mean for Online Games?
The closure 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 way we play and interact online might change because of this act.
Sources:
