Star Citizen has long been one of the more interesting tales in crowdfunding and video games. The only question has been: Will it be a tale of triumph or one of the more cautionary variety?

When Crytek sued Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games (CIG) for making two games when they were only licensed to make one, it certainly seemed to fall into the latter camp.

But now that Crytek is seeking the dismissal of its lawsuit, how might things be even worse for the expectant backers of Star Citizen offshoot, Squadron 42?

We only call CIG "CGI" about a dozen times...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/4KB7gbCgOnY

#Squadron42 #StarCitizen #Crytek

***

Discussed in this episode:

"Crytek sues Star Citizen studios over use of CryEngine"

Polygon - December 15, 2017 - Charlie Hall

https://www.polygon.com/2017/12/13/16774244/crytek-star-citizen-cryengine-lawsuit

"PACKAGE - SQUADRON 42 STANDALONE PLEDGE"

https://robertsspaceindustries.com/pledge/Packages/Squadron-42-Standalone-Pledge

"Crytek wants to dismiss its own lawsuit against Star Citizen developer CIG until Squadron 42 comes out"

Eurogamer - January 4, 2020 - Wesley Yin-Poole

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-01-04-crytek-wants-to-dismiss-its-own-lawsuit-against-the-star-citizen-developer-until-squadron-42-comes-out

"CRYTEK GMBH’S MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF CRYTEK’S MOTION FOR VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL"

January 3, 2020

https://www.docdroid.net/7lT4ft0/govuscourtscacd696437920.pdf

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker now out in theaters, what better way to celebrate than with rumor, innuendo, and corporate politics.

That's right, it wouldn't be Star Wars without controversy, and now JJ Abrams and his production house Bad Robot are up to bat with #ReleaseTheJJCut trending on Twitter.

But are anonymous users on Reddit to be trusted?

And if the answer to that is "no" is there still something worth parsing?

We can learn from even the most questionable of sources...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/SP1Sm5x6ouI

#StarWars #JJAbrams #ReleaseTheJJCut

***

Discussed in this episode:

"Here's what I've been told from a source that worked on TROS"

Reddit Post - January 2, 2019 - u/egoshoppe

https://www.reddit.com/r/saltierthancrait/comments/eisnd8/heres_what_ive_been_told_from_a_source_that/

"'STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' RUMORS CITE DISNEY MEDDLING AS #RELEASETHEJJCUT TRENDS"

Newsweek - January 2, 2019 - Steven Asarch

https://www.newsweek.com/star-wars-rise-skywalker-rumors-disney-meddling-releasethejjcut-trend-1480105

"#ReleaseTheJJCut hashtag trends amid rumors about a different version of new 'Star Wars' movie"

NBC News - January 2, 2019 - Daniel Arkin

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/movies/releasethejjcut-hashtag-trends-amid-rumors-about-different-version-new-star-n1109616?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

null

"Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker". "Episode IX". The end of the "Skywalker Saga". "Apology for The Last Jedi".

By whatever name it goes by, it's the end of the road for Disney's current plans for Star Wars.

But does it work?

Or does Disney pander one time too many in their desperation to change their stars.

(With very special guest!!)

***SPOILERS ABOUND***

#StarWars #TheRiseofSkywalker #Reylo

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

When the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ordered YouTube to develop and maintain a system that would allow content creators to label their content as "directed to children" or not under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), YouTube attempted to ease the burden by simplifying the required language.

But why is "made for kids" such a bad analogue for "directed to children"?

And how is the resulting confusion making life more difficult for creators, the FTC, and YouTube itself.

We literally mean "literally"...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/hgK6p9eml5s

#YouTube #COPPA #FTC

***

Discussed in this episode:

"So [YouTube], I’m under pressure to specify whether our content is made for kids or not..."

Tweet - December 12, 2019 - @MohamedMoshaya

https://twitter.com/MohamedMoshaya/status/1205043203134705664

"But this directly contradicts what the FTC told me regarding general audience content..."

Tweet - December 12, 2019 - @Kreecraft

https://twitter.com/KreekCraft/status/1205070192201666560

"YOUTUBE IS SAVED! (COPPA GOOD NEWS) | YouTube FTC COPPA Update"

YouTube Video - December 11, 2019 - Kreekcraft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah5O5GeVjm4

"In terms of the actual question, the boxes are best read as "directed to children" and "not directed to children"."

Tweet - December 12, 2019 - Hoeg Law

https://twitter.com/HoegLaw/status/1205280746023399424

PART 312—CHILDREN'S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION RULE

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4939e77c77a1a1a08c1cbf905fc4b409&node=16%3A1.0.1.3.36&rgn=div5

"Determining if your content is made for kids"

YouTube Help

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9528076

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

They're "putting together a crew" on The Mandalorian, but why does an episode with such a (comparatively) long running time have the least to say.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

Join us as we discuss Chapter 6: "The Prisoner".

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/5PpPV81GbX0

#StarWars #Mandalorian #DisneyPlus

*SPOILER WARNING: All Postmortem videos and podcasts contain SPOILERS*

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

Uh, oh. Looks like The Mandalorian and his child friend have gotten themselves into another scrape only this time in far more familiar surroundings.

A bit more filler than killer.

Join us as we discuss Chapter 5: "The Gunslinger".

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/9LZ_t1M04-w

#StarWars #Mandalorian #DisneyPlus

*SPOILER WARNING: All Postmortem videos and podcasts contain SPOILERS*

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

When the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) initially asked for comments to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) rule, it likely didn't expect the issue to get as big as it has become. But though now tasked with sifting through a deluge of creator and "industry" comments, those are not the only voices directed at the FTC.

What are some of the things that COPPA's fiercest advocates are saying?

What can we learn from the rhetoric and self-selected targets of organizations like the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood?

And how can that better inform our understanding of COPPA, the FTC, and the current enforcement debate?

You can't win a fight you don't know you're in...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/VPPENG6nt6Q

#YouTube #COPPA #FTC

***

Discussed in this episode:

"Comments of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood"

FTC COPPA Rule Comments - December 11, 2019

https://commercialfreechildhood.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/CCFC-COPPA-comments.pdf

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule Comments

FTC - 2013

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/2012-31341.pdf

"Let’s Pretend the FTC is Right! Is a YouTube Content Creator's COPPA Compliance One Button Away?"

YouTube Video - November 20, 2019 - Hoeg Law

https://youtu.be/SiA-WYi_DNs

CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION

15 USC 91

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/chapter-91

PART 312—CHILDREN'S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION RULE

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4939e77c77a1a1a08c1cbf905fc4b409&node=16%3A1.0.1.3.36&rgn=div5

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

null

(0:00) Opening

(1:02) The Ftc Finished Its Comment Period on Coppa

(6:15) The Ftc's Inadequate Enforcement Is Illustrated by the Ftc's Recent Action against Youtube

(11:52) The Ftc Is Not Congress

(26:43) The Potential Burden That Strict Liability Places on Child Directed Content Providers

(28:27) The Copper Rule

Never one to let the clamor die down, YouTube has announced a brand new harassment and cyberbullying policy. But while arguably well-intentioned, could the vagaries of the new rules (and explanatory blog post accompanying them) leave creators more confused than ever?

Prolonged interactions are never maliciously intended...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/H2TXeN0EWxw

#YouTube #Terms #Harassment

***

Discussed in this episode:

"Many of you have told us we need to do a better job preventing harassment on YouTube..."

Tweet - December 11, 2019 - YouTube Creators (@YTCreators)

https://twitter.com/YTCreators/status/1204763712130707457

"YouTube unveils broader anti-harassment policies for threats and insults about race, sexual orientation and gender"

Washington Post - December 11, 2019 - Taylor Telford

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/12/11/youtube-unveils-broader-anti-harassment-policies-threats-insults-about-race-sex-gender/

"Carlos Maza, Steven Crowder, and Arbitrary YouTube "Guidelines": A Lawyer's View (VL64)"

YouTube Video - June 5, 2019 - Hoeg Law

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuxEtUEkx_Q

"An update to our harassment policy"

YouTube Official Blog - December 11, 2019

https://youtube.googleblog.com/2019/12/an-update-to-our-harassment-policy.html

"Harassment and cyberbullying policy"

YouTube Policies - Updated December 11, 2019

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2802268

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/