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Re-Mission: violent video game with a positive outcome?

HopeLabs developed a video game designed for teenagers and young adults with cancer. In the game, players navigate within the human body — using violent video game tactics — to target cancer cells, infections, and side-effects of treatment. http://www.hopelab.org/innovative-solutions/re-mission%E2%84%A2/ The game is touted as one of a number of uses of video game violence with positive outcomes, […]

Week 12

Week 12

Jon’s Talk March 27,2013: “The Terminator & the Orc” Download the PowerPoint Slides  

University of Pennsylvania Law School I.P. Symposium “Creation Nation: IP & The Rise of Prosumerism” Friday, March 29, 2013

Am honoured to be speaking on a panel with Greg Lastowka and Mark Methenitis on modding and video games. The entire program (which is excellent  and covers legal challenges in fan fiction and 3D printing as well) is here: 2013 Symposium » Penn Intellectual Property Group. There will be a live stream of the event which […]

News of the Week; March 27, 2013

1. Bug in EA’s Battlefield Play4Free allows attackers to hijack players’ PCs: http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/03/bug-in-eas-battlefield-play4free-allows-attackers-to-hijack-players-pcs/ 2. Kaiju Combat Kickstarter Suspended Over Trademark Infringement Claim: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/03/21/kaiju-combat-kickstarter-suspended-over-trademark-infringement-claim#.UU9pWb_R1Lx 3. Video Game Retailers Receive High Marks from 2012 FTC Secret Shopper Survey: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/03/25/video-game-retailers-receive-high-marks-2012-ftc-secret-shopper-survey#.UVHvg7_R1Lw 4. New Research Suggests Extended ‘Screen Time’ Does Not Breed Bad Behavior in Young Children: http://www.gamepolitics.com/2013/03/26/new-research-suggests-extended-screen-time-does-not-breed-bad-behavior-young-children#.UVI0xr_R1Lw 5. Pratchett: Nobody talks about how well […]

Pennsylvania stadium adds video games to bathrooms

Pennsylvania stadium adds video games to bathrooms

How do we feel about “hands-free” urinal video games? http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/27/pennsylvania-stadium-aims-to-please-fans-with-urinal-video-games I guess my concern is, how does a hands-free game publish top scorer names without players touching anything?

Guest Speakers from EA – March 28, 2013

Guest Speakers from EA – March 28, 2013

We have the privilege of having a team of two guest speakers from Electronics Arts Inc. with us this week. Electronics Arts Inc. was incorporated in 1982. EA was a pioneer in the development of home video games.  EA is an international company with numerous locations in Canada, including Vancouver. EA develops and publishes games […]

Microsoft XBox Panned for Virtual Thefts, Disputed Charges

take a look at this CBC article from March 25, 2013, that deals with “virtual theft” of a young gamer’s players that he purchased on-line.  Our own Professors Jon Festinger and Joel Baken of UBC Law also provide some expert commentary on this situation. link:http://www.cbc.ca/m/touch/news/story/2013/03/22/bc-fifa-hacking.html

The ToS Death Penalty

Today on the Consumerist, a reader writes to complain of the ToS Death Penalty – a draconian punishment for purported ToS violations that is becoming all too common. The ToS Death Penalty is the seemingly arbitrary execution of a user’s online account with a company, with no explanation of what actually happened and without right […]

Your Children are not Your Children: Why NYT public editor is Wrong on Children’s Right to Privacy

“Your Children are not Your Children: Why NYT public editor is Wrong on Children’s Right to Privacy” by Zeynep Tufekci is a must read after our class this past week. Ordinarily would just include in the weekly News of the Week round-up. However this piece deserves special mention at the very least for its relevant […]

Intel Web TV & Privacy

Intel Web TV & Privacy

Following up on our class discussions Wednesday, Alan Bruggeman sent up this story with video in the link suggesting that we watch especially 7:40 – 12:12. http://allthingsd.com/20130212/erik-huggers-makes-his-case-for-intels-web-tv-service/ jon (for Alan)