A guest who appeared on the No Jumper podcast to boast about a hack and payback scheme involving his victims social media accounts could face federal charges. Idriss Qibaa, also known as Dani and Unlocked who authorities allege ran the social media hacking site Unlocked4Life.com, faces two criminal felony counts filed by the US Attorney's Office in Nevada for allegedly violating interstate communications laws for threats he issued in text messages to two victims and members of their families, according to documents obtained by 404 Media.Investigators filed the sealed complaint against Qibaa on July 25 and issued a warrant the following Monday when also made his first initial appearance in court, according to federal court records.The criminal complaint states that the FBI received a tip about Qibaas alleged extortion scheme on April 1 pointing to an appearance he made on the No Jumper podcast hosted by Adam22, also known as Adam Grandmaison, back in January under his pseudonym Dani. Qibaa outlined a financial scheme using over 200 victims social media accounts in which he would lock them out of their pages and charge them to regain access.He also boasted that he made about $600,000 a month from his activities and hired two security guards to follow him.Youre making $2 million a month off your Instagram and Telegraph, Qibaa says on the podcast. I come and I take it away and make you pay for it back and I make it public and I post it and I expose you.Qibaa even said on the podcast episode that he pulled the scheme on celebrities who unknowingly kept paying him to get their social media back. He later noted Im very petty followed by a menacing laugh.Ive talked to stars who have told me that theyve paid to get it back 20 times over and over and over they just have to keep paying to get it back, Qibaa says, and Im like you realize whats happening to you right like the same thats getting you it back isyoure getting extorted.The criminal complaint tells the story of eight victims encounters with Qibaa and his services. One identified as J.T. operated two Instagram accounts: a cannabis news aggregate account called theblacklistxyz and a cannabis merchandising store under caliplug, both of which are currently set to private. J.T. reached out to Qibaa asking if he could obtain a username. Qibaa quoted a price back between $4,000-$5,000. J.T. refused to take Qibaa up on the offer and Qibaa responded with threats.Qibba told J.T. that J.T. had wasted Qibaas time, blocked J.T.s Instagram pages and demanded $10,000 to reinstate it, the complaint reads. J.T. offered Qibaa $8,500 to reinstate the account, an offer Qibaa accepted.The complaint asserts that Qibba reached out to J.T. two more times. The first time, Qibba asked if J.T. would promote his Instagram page under the username unlocked4life thats since been taken down. J.T. agreed but when he learned Qibaa had been threatening and extorting other victims, he confronted Qibaa and Qibaa was irate.A few months later, Qibaa apparently increased the scope of his threats to J.T. and members of his family. He sent threats to call the victims ex-wifes lawyer and child protective services on his kids. Screenshots of the victims phone show Qibaa allegedly identifying the address and phone number of the victims sister. He texted another family member and introduced himself as The guy thats gonna murder your drug dealer brother. Tell him Unlocked says hi though. We have your entire familys info.Another victim identified as a journalist and comedian with the initials E.H. learned they were a target of Qibaas illegal services. Qibaa blocked their Instagram account, the name of which was redacted, at the request of a dentist in California who treated them. E.H. reached out to the Unlocked4Life account and received a reply that read, Yo its Idriss. He then told E.H. to pull up the No Jumper podcast episode featuring his interview. Qibaa not only took the victims Instagram account access away but also threatened to take their Social Security number and blast it out if they didnt pay him $20,000.According to the complaint, not even restraining orders could make Qibaa leave his victims alone. One named R.B. received a restraining order from Los Angeles County Superior Court in July but Unblocked responded, Cute restraining order..last I checked youre still gonna die. Then UNLOCKED UNCENSORED posted on Telegram, $50,000 reward for whoever sleeps BO this week.Perhaps the most disturbing threats happened to several victims in which Qibaa claimed hed happily go to jail if payments werent made to him. Screenshots of the text chains show a person named Dani and Daniel telling his victims, I will come and shoot you myself, Im going to bury you for this shit and D., L., J., T., Children-Main Targets referring to the victims children.Another text chain shows Qibaa allegedly threatening someone that he would rather take a life sentence for murdering you then this, Idc if I have to shoot you my self [sic] and Ill go to jail happily. He follows the text with the threat Heres the last guy that came to take photos / came near my home and sends three pictures of an unidentified bearded man, his car and a photo of his badly bruised and bloodied on the ground.Adam22 concluded his podcast interview with Dani saying he was very excited to see the fallout from this and I respect the hustle even though I cant justify it on a moral level.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hack-and-payback-instagram-scammer-gets-nabbed-after-bragging-about-it-on-a-podcast-202509349.html?src=rss

Google is phasing out an Olympics ad after for its AI-powered chatbot, Gemini, after receiving widespread criticism of showing a father use AI to help his daughter write a fan letter to her favorite athlete. The 60-second commercial, which is still available on YouTube, shows a father using Gemini to write a fan letter to an idol, Olympic track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, on behalf of his young daughter.She wants to show Sydney some love and I am pretty good with words, but this has to be just right, the dad says in the commercial. So Gemini, help my daughter write a letter telling Sydney how inspiring she is. The ad ends with the words: A little help from Gemini.A Google spokesperson told CNBC that although the ad tested well before it aired, given the feedback, we have decided to phase the ad out of our Olympics rotation. The spokesperson added that the ads goal was to create an authentic story to celebrate Team USA. We believe that AI can be a great tool for enhancing human creativity, but can never replace it, they added.The commercial showing somebody having a child use AI to write a fan letter to her hero SUCKS, wrote Linda Holmes, the host of NPRs Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, on Threads. Obviously there are special circumstances and people who need help, but as a general look how cool, she didnt even have to write anything herself! story, it SUCKS. Who wants an AI-written fan letter??Shelley Palmer, a professor of advanced media at Syracuse Universitys communications school, strongly criticized the ad in a widely-shared post on her blog. She argued that the commercials approach could lead to a monocultural future where original human thoughts become increasingly rare and expressed concern for the adss implications for parenting and education.The backlash reflects the broader debates around the role of AI in creative processes and its potential impact on the quality of human expression. As AI technologies continue to advance, companies are facing increasing scrutiny not only over how they portray and promote these tools but also about using the work of creative professionals without permission to train AI models.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-will-no-longer-air-an-olympics-ad-that-showed-a-child-using-ai-to-write-a-fan-letter-201214273.html?src=rss

The US Department of Justice is suing TikTok for violating a child privacy law and violating a 2019 agreement with the Federal Trade Commission for previous privacy violations. The lawsuit stems from an earlier investigation into the company by the Federal Trade Commission, which referred its privacy case to the DoJ earlier this year.The FTC had been looking into whether TikTok had violated the terms of an earlier privacy settlement with Musical.ly, which was acquired by ByteDance prior to the launch of TikTok. According to the FTC, the investigation found that TikTok had flagrantly violated both the 2019 settlement and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).In a statement, the Justice Department also cited TikToks collection of personal information about children on its platform and its failure to comply with the requests for the information to be deleted.From 2019 to the present, TikTok knowingly permitted children to create regular TikTok accounts and to create, view, and share short-form videos and messages with adults and others on the regular TikTok platform. The defendants collected and retained a wide variety of personal information from these children without notifying or obtaining consent from their parents. Even for accounts that were created in Kids Mode (a pared-back version of TikTok intended for children under 13), the defendants unlawfully collected and retained childrens email addresses and other types of personal information. Further, when parents discovered their childrens accounts and asked the defendants to delete the accounts and information in them, the defendants frequently failed to honor those requests. The defendants also had deficient and ineffectual internal policies and processes for identifying and deleting TikTok accounts created by children.In a statement, TikTok said it took issue with the allegations, saying it had previously addressed some of the conduct described by the Justice Department. We disagree with these allegations, many of which relate to past events and practices that are factually inaccurate or have been addressed, the company said. We are proud of our efforts to protect children, and we will continue to update and improve the platform. To that end, we offer age-appropriate experiences with stringent safeguards, proactively remove suspected underage users, and have voluntarily launched features such as default screentime limits, Family Pairing, and additional privacy protections for minors.The lawsuit comes at a particularly inconvenient time for TikTok, which is set to face off with the Justice Department in federal court next month over a law that aims to force ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban in the United States.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-justice-department-sues-tiktok-for-breaking-child-privacy-laws-190456433.html?src=rss

Warner Bros. Discovery is shuttering Boomerang, a streaming service dedicated to classic cartoons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The platform started as a digital cable channel back in 2000 before expanding to a streaming platform in 2017.Boomerang will officially cease operations on September 30, giving subscribers around two months to quickly binge every Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry and Scooby-Doo cartoon. However, some content will be folded into Max. The linear channel will continue to operate via cable and satellite providers, reaching an estimated 26 million homes.Additionally, Boomerang subscribers will be grandfathered into Maxs ad-free tier with no change to the subscription price until further notice, according to an email sent to users. Thats a dang good deal, as Boomerang costs $6 per month and Maxs ad-free plan currently costs $17 per month.MaxMax, however, is already home to much of the same programming as Boomerang. This includes Looney Tunes shorts, several Scooby-Doo shows, Tom and Jerry and The Flintstones, among others. Its also home to the entire catalog of Cartoon Network shows and plenty of DC animated series, like Harley Quinn.The company hasnt specified which shows and movies would be making the move to Max, simply telling subscribers that some Boomerang content may not be available after September 30.Boomerang isnt the only cartoon-adjacent streaming platform on the chopping block. Kid-friendly Noggin shut down earlier this year after layoffs at parent company Paramount Global. On the upside, Disney+ has plenty of cartoons, given the pedigree, and the same goes for Netflix and Prime Video.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/say-goodbye-to-boomerang-the-streaming-service-dedicated-to-classic-cartoons-182127381.html?src=rss

Another giant name in the gaming press is shutting down its operations. Game Informer announced today that its been shut down by its parent company GameStop after 33 years in the business. The entire website and its archives have also been removed and now redirect to the magazines final statement of thanks to its readers.After 33 thrilling years of bringing you the latest news, reviews and insights from the ever-evolving world of gaming, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Game Informer, the publications statement reads.The Final Level: Farewell from Game Informer pic.twitter.com/tmrEB2TE7U Game Informer (@gameinformer) August 2, 2024 Several social media posts confirmed the sad news about the state of the magazine and its staff. Lead video producer Alex Van Aken posted on X that the staff didnt know what was happening until theres a tweet that someone higher up posting spilling the news.Game Informers content director Kyle Hilliard says on X that the bad news about the mass staff layoffs landed right when they were in the middle of creating a new issue. A frustrating turn of events (especially considering we were about 70 percent done with the next issue and it was going to have a GREAT cover), Hilliard wrote on X.The magazine launched in August of 1991 under the FuncoLand game store brand with Sonic the Hedgehog sprinting across its cover. The cover headlines promised sizzling hot pre-release reviews inside! on games like Decap Attack, Micro Machines and NHL Hockey. GameStop acquired the FuncoLand brand in 2000 and the gaming magazine. Game Informer amassed a peak readership of 6 million, according to its official website.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/game-informer-magazine-is-shutting-down-after-33-years-181549995.html?src=rss

Instagram is blocked in Turkey amid a dispute over Hamas-related content on the platform. The app has been inaccessible in the country since Friday morning. Netblocks, an organization that tracks internet and social media outages, confirmed that Instagram had been restricted in the country.Turkish regulators didnt specify why the block was in place but, as Bloomberg reports, the crackdown on Instagram appears to be related to its handling of Hamas-related posts on the platform. On Friday, Turkeys head of communications Fahrettin Altun, said in a post on X that Instagram is actively preventing people from posting messages of condolences for Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader who was killed earlier this week.Meta hasnt publicly commented on the block.Its not the first time Turkish authorities have blocked a major social media service. Twitter was briefly blocked in the country last year following a devastating earthquake that killed thousands of people. YouTube and Twitter were also blocked in 2014.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/turkey-has-blocked-instagram-amid-a-dispute-over-hamas-related-content-175934777.html?src=rss

It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of good tech deals. Our latest edition is headed up by a few notable discounts from the PlayStation Store's Summer Sale. Both the standard and digital versions of the PS5 are $50 off, for one not a huge price drop, but still about as low as we usually see the consoles fall. The soon-to-be-improved PlayStation VR2 is down to $349, a $200 discount, while a number of our favorite PS5 games are also on sale. Beyond that, Apple's entry-level AirPods are back down to a low of $70, several Amazon Echo devices are available for the prices we saw during Prime Day and Google's Pixel 8a is at a new low ahead of the company's big Pixel hardware event later this month. Here are the best tech deals from this week you can still buy today. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-playstation-5-is-50-off-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-170024467.html?src=rss

Tesla is facing yet more legal action over Autopilot after the parents of a motorcyclist who was killed in a crash involving a Model 3 sued the company. The plaintiffs, who also sued the driver of the Tesla, claimed that the car's driver assistant tech and other safety measures are defective and inadequate.The plaintiffs argued in the complaint, which was obtained by Reuters, that Autopilot sensors and cameras should have identified the hazard posed by" the motorcycle. Autopilot was engaged when the Model 3 struck the back of Landon Embry's motorcycle at 75-80 miles per hour in Utah in 2022. Embry died at the scene.His parents also claim the Model 3 driver was tired and that "a reasonably prudent driver, or adequate auto braking system, would have, and could have slowed or stopped without colliding with the motorcycle." Tesla does not have a public relations department that can be reached for comment.This is the latest in a long line of legal and regulatory issues that Tesla has contended with over the Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. Just this week, Washington state investigators determined that a Tesla Model S involved in a fatal crash with a motorcycle in April had Full Self-Driving engaged at the time.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-sued-over-fatal-autopilot-crash-164723952.html?src=rss

THQ Nordic is holding a livestream showcase event at 3PM ET and you can watch it live via the YouTube embed placed below. If YouTube isnt your bag, the event will also stream on the companys Twitch channel and its Steam page.The company says the digital showcase will offer updates on a bunch of games, like Titan Quest II, Way of the Hunter, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed and the upcoming remake of Gothic 1. The press release does suggest that there will be more games spotlighted during the event, but didnt name names. It also says there will be new announcements.Theres a car-shaped elephant in the room here. The press release advertising the event is titled The day of (W)reckoning is at hand. This is almost certainly a reference to the companys long-gestating racing franchise Wreckfest. Are we getting a sequel or maybe a remake? Time will tell.Not that much time though. The stream officially starts at 3PM ET, but theres a pre-show at 2:45 ET hosted by HandyGames. This subsidiary of THQ Nordic is responsible for titles like Locks Quest and Townsmen - A Kingdom Rebuilt, among others.One final thing. If youre into puzzles or internet-based mysteries, THQ Nordic did drop a hint about something else that would be covered during the event. The Wheel of Fortune-esque teaser simply says _ _ e E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Make of that what you will.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-thq-nordics-digital-showcase-at-3pm-et-164018041.html?src=rss

After a couple of months of beta testing on consoles to iron out some bugs, Valorantis now properly available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in some regions. You can dive into the free-to-play tactical shooter on the consoles if you're in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan or Brazil. Riot plans to open up the game to console players in other regions down the line.Riot says it optimized the gameplay for consoles, which included the addition of a new Focus shooting mode that's a bit like hipfire, but with lower sensitivity for greater precision. There won't be any support for crossplay between PC and consoles so as to maintain competitive integrity, but you will have access to all your purchased or earned cosmetics and there will be shared progression across all platforms. Riot also notes that there will be parity between all platforms in terms of balance changes and added agents, maps, premium content and other features."We believe there are millions of players that would love to play Valorant, but currently cant, and we hope to change that with bringing Valorant to consoles," Valorant production designer Arnar Gylfason said in a statement. "We aim to provide them the joy of the Valorant experience and all it entails: a core tactical shooter gameplay focused on mastery and player expression, a team-based competitive environment where match quality and fairness comes first, our amazing ecosystem with a unique style, high-quality cosmetics and a thriving community that values personal and competitive identity."This is a significant step for Riot as Valorant is its first live-service game on console the likes of League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics remain PC-only. However, the publisher plans to bring its upcoming LoL-based fighting game 2XKOto PlayStation and Xbox as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valorant-is-now-out-of-beta-on-playstation-5-and-xbox-series-xs-160016521.html?src=rss