By Joséphine Li 

Fortnite has been blocked on iOS since August when Epic Games launched a new way to buy in-game currency directly without paying Google or Apple their customary 30 percent cut of their revenue. 

This move is in breach of both Google and Apple’s app store policies. Subsequently, Fortnite was removed from both iOS and Android devices. Epic Games then sued both Google and Apple, accusing them of monopolistic practices. In the meanwhile, Epic Games is still seeking to have its Fortnite app restored on iOS devices. 

On August 21, the gaming company filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against Apple’s blocking Fortnite on iPads and iPhones. It slammed apple as a ‘monopolist’ and said that if Apple continues the ban, Epic Games would suffer ‘irreparable harm’.

The injunction brief reports that the user base on iOS is much larger than on PC, Xbox, Nintendo, Switch, PlayStation or Android. Over 116 million players have played Fortnite on iOS, making it the biggest platform of the game. 

 

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“All that Epic Games requires is that Apple be barred from retaliating against Epic Games for daring to challenge Apple’s misconduct,” the motion states.

In claiming that Apple monopolizes the purchase and distribution of iOS apps, Epic Games is “going to have to convince the judge that those are markets to begin with,” said John Bergmayer, legal director of Public Knowledge. 

On August 22, Apple cited its previous statement, “The court recommended that Epic Games comply with the guidelines of the App Store while the case moves forward, which they have followed for the past decade until their behavior leads to the current situation.” Epic Games has refused the request.

Apple also expressed that they hope to have the opportunity to work with the Fornite makers in the future. “but unfortunately that is not possible today.” 

The next hearing over the lawsuit is scheduled for September 28. A judge ruled on August 24 that Apple must not block Epic Games’ platform Unreal Engine, which many developers use to create games on Apple devices, but that Fortnite would not be reinstated. 

That decision meant iOS gamers with Fortnite on their phones are not able to access the game’s latest updates released later in August. 

While Apple has defended that its policies are industry standard and meant to ensure a secure and consistent app experience for users, critics think that Apple taking a commission of up to 30 percent on the purchases and requiring all in-app payments be run through Apple’s payment channels chill competition. 

Mitch Stoltz, senior staff attorney of Electronic Frontier Foundation, thinks that Epic winning the lawsuits would be beneficial for the markets overall. In that way, there will be more innovation, more experimentation and more business models.

DIY beauty trends on TikTok could be harmful and risky—such as using eyelash glue to make lips appear plumper, applying bleach to whiten teeth, removing moles at home. When these videos went viral, they encouraged other users to copy the so-called “beauty hacks,” which could cause permanent damage.

TikTok told the media the videos did not violate its community guidelines; however, after viewing those videos, pundits in the relevant fields—Association of Dermatologists, Skin Foundation, Dental Association, have issued warnings about copying these treatments on social media.

According to medical experts’ advice, it is of utter importance to make sure that users understand that social media should not be used as the key source for dermatology treatments.

 

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When it comes to skin issues, it can lead to panic or fear, which causes wasting of resources such as potential delay in treatment, as well as potentially worsening one’s mental wellbeing. 

Scraping off

Some beauty hack videos on TikTok promote using physical or chemical ways to remove moles. Medical experts advise all moles should be checked by a professional prior to removal. Dr. Perry, medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics, said that there is no safe way to remove a mole at home. This needs to be done by a qualified dermatologist who has years of training. 

Using chemicals or attempting to scrape off a mole without professional guidance or supervision could lead to infections, scarring, bleeding and even deformity of the area. One peculiar approach recommends applying eyelash glue to the skin. Tiktok users, especially teenagers, use this technique to create a plumping effect. However, this quick-and-easy-ish tip can lead to serious consequences, such as scarring or even permanent disfigurement. 

“Eyelash glue contains cyanoacrylate which is known to be a contact allergen, applying a potentially allergenic chemical to lips could result in a severe reaction.” Said the Skin Foundation spokesman consultant dermatologist Dr. Sheraz. 

Meanwhile, some cosmetic surgeons told the media they had seen some videos of lip-filler kits or at-home Botox on social media.

Applying bleach 

TikTok videos with the hashtag “teeth-whitening” have amassed about 284 million views. Some suggest applying bleach to teeth to avoid “expensive” over-the-counter treatments. 

Household bleaches may also contain other bleaching compounds. Under the regulation, teeth-whitening products should only be sold directly to the public if they contain no more than 0.1 percent hydrogen peroxide. Anything above this amount supplied or used without the supervision of a professional would be illegal. 

The Dental Association said administering the wrong products at home might cause permanent damage. Whitening teeth using products that contain more hydrogen peroxide than that permitted in over-the-counter products can be harmful. 

The representative of The Dental Association expressed concern regarding the DIY “beauty hacks” trend. According to the representative’s opinion, it’s too dangerous for people to use higher concentrations without professional supervision. It could lead to severe damage to gums and teeth, such as gum sensitivity, burns to the mouth, as well as irritated or inflamed gums.

After being informed of the medical expert’s opinion on these videos, TikTok insisted these videos did not break their community rules. A representative of Tiktok stated that it is their utmost priority to keep their users on TikTok safe. The community rules make clear that they will remove content promoting dangerous behavior that might lead to physical harm and serious injury.

“TikTok is continuously evaluating its policies and processes to ensure our team is doing everything possible to keep our users safe.” the representative added.

By Joséphine Li

With the lockdown continuing to expand and the number of cases still increasing, the future remains quite unclear. When discussions emerge rapidly about post-lockdown plans, businesses will have to make certain adjustments to their regular functioning. A post-lockdown world will need to be more vigilant, more sanitized, and yet maintain a social distance. AI can be of great benefit to the scenario. 

Recently, Dubai carefully hosted the first big conference since the lockdown, as the UAE opened its doors to visitors. The conference was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre and it was one of the first physical exhibitions to be held since the Coronavirus pandemic raged earlier this year. As the world slowly and surely emerges from the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic, connectivity will play an indispensable role in facilitating people’s daily lives, from online banking services and online shopping to working and studying from home initiatives. AI will be the hallmark that underpins our connected society, with 5G, WiFi 6 and fiber to the premises connectivity putting the GCC at the cutting edge of connected society initiatives. 

 

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Several heavy hitters from around the country attended the Artificial Intelligence Everything summer conference 2020, looking forward to finding out how AI can help businesses bounce back after lockdown. 

The Artificial Intelligence Everything Summer Conference 2020 will feature the most prominent decision-makers from across a wide range of business verticals from the UAE’s sectors, including speeches from executives from Dubai Airports, Careem and Jumeirah Group. The conference agenda will also hear from a variety of officials from the UAE government, who will be expertly positioned to provide valuable insights into the role AI will play in the country’s growth.

When asked how AI might be used to help it evolve and how their customer landscape had changed, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Retail—Hani Weiss said that more than 37,000 of his staff had undergone special AI training to make sure they understood its significance. Weiss believes that personalization is helping to reduce time-wasting, improve consumption for his customers and make sure they help the customers to select whatever they want. 

The conference also broached the issue of data analytics and unavoidable concerns around security and privacy. Mudassir Sheikha said that data is sort of the fuel that drives their business. “It was among the most important things they have as a digital-first company,” he added. Sheikha also clarified that the essential factors that Careem focuses on are providing the best possible security staff, storing data in the cloud and ensuring effective processes are used to process the data. 

Delegates also focused on the essential decision of how to apply AI to their businesses in the course of the pandemic. Weiss said orders had gone up enormously. Many countries saw a surge of as much as 300 percent and in Saudi Arabia, that figure was shockingly even closer to 1,000 percent. He also stated that many clients were new to the concept of online ordering—28 percent of the consumers who tried online during the pandemic had never accessed any online platform. 

The CEO of ‘vehicle for hire’ firm Careem also clarified how crucial it is to be innovative about how they approach the online environment. He hopes that they can create a super app and become an “offline-online bridge.” He believes that this project can actually help people become more efficient and help societies become more productive and drive economic growth. 

But among its mega-tech peers, Amazon is arguably singular in its determination to provide American law enforcement with tools experts claim only enable racial uproar. In their rush to appear responsive to the rough contours of social justice—while keeping their public and legal relations, social media teams in agreement—some corporations seem to be forgetting what they are supposed to do. 

Recently, there have been reports of Google, Amazon, and Wish featuring neo-Nazi and white-supremacist merchandise on their websites, including white-supremacist flags, neo-Nazi books, and Ku Klux Klan paraphernalia. 

All three companies told the media that racist products were banned from their sites even though Amazon and Wish algorithms had recommended other white-supremacist items, encouraging and facilitating more hateful shopping. 

 

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However, this is not the first time Amazon has been involved in an incident like this. Back in August 2018, Amazon was already reported by The New York Times for selling products featuring nazi symbols. Amazon took down items sold on its site by other retailers, including nazi patches and a baby onesie with jewelry emblazoned with Nazi swastikas and a burning-cross graphic, after lawmakers and nonprofits called attention to them. 

According to the report, algorithms used by e-commerce sites Amazon and Wish would also suggest other white-supremacist products, including those of the far-right libertarian group in the U.S.—the Boogaloo movement. Several individuals have been linked to terrorist crimes and the assassination of state officials in the United States. As of today, all three platforms removed the Boogaloo content after being approached by the media.

Oren Segal, Vice President of the Center on Extremism of the anti-hate organization—Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said the companies need to monitor their algorithms’ recommendations continually. He also stated that the algorithms had to be taught to be responsible. 

A white-supremacist flag featuring a Celtic Cross was among the items listed for sale on Amazon. The ADL said the graphic depicted on the flag was one of the most recognizable white-supremacist symbols. 

The comments section is polarized. One shopper commented that this is a neo-Nazi flag, and Amazon should not be profiting from this. At the same time, another purchaser wrote down that the flag would be suitable for use in parades, and thanked Amazon for making it happen. To make things worse, Amazon’s algorithms recommended another controversial flag that purchasers had frequently bought together. The symbols on both flags were worn by the Christchurch gunman when he killed 51 people in 2019. Another merchandise featuring flaming rainbow flags—similar to the one used by the LGBT Community was also found on Amazon. The follow-up to the incident is that Amazon has now taken all of those products down in order to prevent the deterioration of the event. 

The same goes for the online retailer Wish. Wish recommended “related items,” including a Celtic Cross and a white-supremacy-themed hood on their page for a KKK-themed cartoon. After being approached by the media, Wish also removed Ku Klux Klan-themed commodities on their platform. As for Google, they also took down offensive, racist content from its Google Play stores and Google Books. 

Online algorithms can push shoppers toward hateful content. “It often takes human investigation to work out that people are being led down this path.” Said Josh Smith of Demos, who hopes to raise the public’s concerns.

All three parties to the incident have made their official statement: Amazon said that they have reviewed the products and content and removed the listings that were found in violation of Amazon’s policy. The commodities concerned are no longer on their website, and they have taken action on the bad actors who have sold the products — the account of the seller who was in breach of their policy has been permanently suspended. Google has clarified that it will not allow advertisements or products sold on its platforms that display offensive content or stir up hatred. They enforce these policies vigorously and take action when Google determines they are infringed. Wish told the press that they are making efforts to remove these items and taking further measures to avoid the reappearance of that merchandise.