Among Us is coming to Xbox and PlayStation

  • The popular game, Among Us, is launching for Xbox, PlayStation, and the Xbox Game Pass (a subscription service) in December.
  • Among Us is a social deduction game, where one or two players are ‘impostors’ and are tasked to kill the ‘crewmate’ players while they complete tasks.
  • The game will support ‘crossplay’ and online multiplayer across mobile, PC, and now consoles.
  • ‘Crossplay’ allows people from every platform to play with one another online and communicate using the in-game chat function.
  • Among Us was a massive hit during the early stages of the pandemic, becoming 2020’s most downloaded mobile game.
  • For more information on Among Us and potential risks, check out our blog post.
  • Full story, here.

Schools pause facial recognition for lunch payments

  • Nine schools in North Ayrshire have paused the use of facial recognition technology following the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) inquiries.
  • The schools had begun using a facial recognition system for contactless lunch payments.
  • The system was part of an upgrade to the cashless catering systems and was meant to reduce queue times for children.
  • Another school in Ashton-under-Lyne has decided to drop its rollout of a facial recognition system.
  • Last week, the ICO responded to media reports about schools’ plans and claimed that organisations should consider a “less intrusive” approach where possible.
  • Privacy campaigners and experts criticised the facial recognition plans.
  • An ICO spokesperson maintained that organisations using facial recognition technology must comply with data protection law and consider the necessity of the system before installing it.
  • Full story, here.

 

Facebook says it’s refocusing company on ‘serving young adults’

  • Facebook has reported that teams are being redirected to make “serving young adults” a priority.
  • This follows reports of Facebook’s concerns about the declining population of young adults on the platform and the further usage drop predicted in the future.
  • Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, claims that immediate changes could occur on Instagram to lean further into video and make Reels “a more central part of the experience.”
  • This shift is in response to the popularity of TikTok with young adults.
  • Facebook has come under fire recently following leaks of internal Facebook research showing Instagram negatively affect young people’s mental health.
  • Full story, here.

Social media gambling adverts ‘more appealing to children than adults’

  • Gambling advertising on social media is significantly more appealing to children and young people than to adults.
  • A new study carried out by the University of Bristol found that disguised gambling marketing and adverts for Esports betting were more enticing to under 25s.
  • The adverts were found to trigger positive emotions.
  • The study involved more than 650 children, young people and adults across the UK surveyed between May and July 2021.
  • Most of the adults stated they felt wary or annoyed by gambling adverts, but children mainly reacted positively.
  • The report calls for tighter regulations on all gambling content and bans on Esports gambling advertising, to prevent youngsters from succumbing to addiction.
  • Full story, here.