Itch.io, an internet site used to host a heap of video games—primarily self-published indie tasks—was taken down briefly this morning (or over the weekend, relying on time zones) due to, uh, Funko of Funko Pop infamy. I am about as confused as you, and the positioning’s creator Leafo, are.
As posted to each Bluesky and X, the positioning was “taken down by Funko of ‘Funko Pop’ as a result of they use some trash ‘AI Powered’ Model Safety Software program referred to as Model Defend that created some bogus Phishing report back to our registrar, iwantmyname, who ignored our response and simply disabled the area.”
Itch.io later clarified that it “did take the disputed web page down as quickly as we obtained the discover as a result of it isn’t price combating stuff like that. Regardless, our registrar’s automated system seemingly kicked [in] to disable the area since nobody learn our affirmation of elimination.”
Should you’re interested in BrandShield, it is an AI-powered “answer” to issues like phishing makes an attempt, fraudulent web sites and, with relevance to this particular case, “model safety”. Whereas it is borderline inconceivable to pierce by way of the thick fog of business-speak (the world “holistic” is thrown round a bunch) to discover a promise that BrandShield really has individuals who know what they’re doing vetting these takedown requests, the positioning’s web page on model safety describes the specifics of its zealotry.
“You’ll expose your model to on-line assaults in the event you solely shield your registered area. Be sure that to additionally shield your self from exterior digital threats and monitor these necessary components,” the positioning states, earlier than itemizing “visuals of each firm logos and product pictures” and “written and recorded content material” as danger components.
As for the web page in query, Itch.io’s creator breaks it down in a thread on Hacker Information: “From what I can inform, some particular person made a fan web page for an current Funko Pop online game (Funko Fusion), with hyperlinks to the official website and screenshots of the sport. The BrandShield software program might be instructed to eradicate all ‘unauthorized’ use of their trademark, so that they despatched stories independently to our host and registrar claiming there was ‘fraud and phishing’ happening, more likely to trigger escalation as a substitute of doing the anticipated DMCA/cease-and-desist.”
Leafo states they’d obtained stories from their host to take the web page down, and had executed so days prematurely: “I expressed my disappointment in my responses to each of them however instructed them I had eliminated the web page and disabled the account. Linode confirmed and closed the case. iwantmyname by no means responded. … I seen that the area standing had been set to ‘serverHold’ on iwantmyname’s area panel. We’ve no different abuse stories from iwantmyname apart from this one.”
Taking all of this at face worth (I’ve reached out to Funko for remark, and can replace this text if I obtain a response) this actually does seem to be a domino-effect snafu powered by AI and, effectively, incompetence. Automated know-how overreacted, because it tends to do, whereas Itch.io’s area host dragged its ft. Because of this, one of many largest hosts of indie video games misplaced out on hours of potential income—which has a knock-on impact to the builders utilizing the web site to hawk their digital wares. It appears prefer it’s principally been resolved, with Itch.io again on-line on the time of writing. However phew, no less than Funko’s model is protected—that was a detailed name, all people.
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