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A24 TECHNOLOGY
Thursday 10 OcTOber 2019
AP Explains: Meet Twitch, Amazon's live-streaming video site

By RACHEL LERMAN in Christchurch, New Zea-
AP Technology Writer land. Then, the perpetrator
SEATTLE (AP) — The attack- live-streamed his attack on
er who killed two people Facebook. The social net-
in a shooting at a German work subsequently said it
synagogue live-streamed was working on restricting
the assault on Twitch, a vid- some users with previous
eo service owned by Ama- rules violations from using
zon. It was one of the first Facebook Live. It also con-
violent attacks streamed tinues to work on artificial
on the service, which is best intelligence technology
known for letting people that can detect violent vid-
watch others play compet- eos to prevent them from
itive video games. being re-shared. It's hard to
Here's what you need to guess why Twitch was cho-
know about Twitch. sen this time, said Hannah
WATCHING PEOPLE PLAY Bloch-Wehba, a law pro-
Twitch is a site where peo- fessor at Drexel University.
ple can livestream video She noted it is possible that
games as they're playing, This Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, file photo shows the logo of live streaming video platform Twitch at the Twitter and Facebook's at-
usually providing tips and Paris games week in Paris. tempt to crack down on
commentary while oth- Associated Press such material may be dis-
ers watch. The platform couraging people from
has boomed in popularity LENCE the internet, is reportedly 36 been harassed on the site, trying to stream violence
over the last few years, and The German shooting minutes long. echoing an undercurrent there. Internet companies
played a key role in boost- may have been the first Twitch said only about five of sexism that has long have pledged after each
ing the spread of "esports," real-world violent attack people saw the livestream, been an issue in gaming attack to work on prevent-
or competitive video gam- livestreamed on Twitch. but 2,200 viewed the fin- culture. It has policies in ing such livestreams from
ing. The company said it found ished recording of the vid- place against hateful con- happening again, includ-
Popular Twitch gamers can and took down the video eo for the next 30 minutes duct and harassment and ing by advancing artificial
have millions of followers. with "urgency" and said until Twitch took it down. asks users and streamers to intelligence to catch such
The platform itself has more it was "shocked and sad- Twitch has faced other report inappropriate con- videos. Bloch-Wehba is
than 100 million monthly us- dened by the tragedy." But complaints in the past — duct. skeptical that those efforts
ers. the video, which has since largely from female gam- The attack in Germany alone will entirely halt the
NON-VIDEO GAME VIO- spread to other corners of ers who say they have echoed a March assault problem.q

China criticizes Apple for app that tracks Hong Kong police

By JOE McDONALD resist and oppose instead the entirely state-controlled
AP Business Writer of supporting and indulging press to drive away con-
BEIJING (AP) — Apple be- those actions," Geng said sumers or disruptive inves-
came the latest company at a regular news briefing. tigations by tax and other
targeted for Chinese pres- The demonstrations began regulators.
sure over protests in Hong over a proposed extradi- China has long been criti-
Kong when the ruling Com- tion law and expanded to cal to Apple's business.
munist Party's main news- include other grievances The mainland is Apple's
paper criticized the tech and demands for greater second-biggest market af-
giant Wednesday for a democracy. ter the United States but
smartphone app that al- Criticism of Apple followed CEO Tim Cook has said
lows activists to report po- government attacks start- since 2013 it will eventually
lice movements. ing last weekend on the become No. 1. Sales in Chi-
HKmap.live, designed by A display of the app "HKmap.live" designed by an outside sup- National Basketball Asso- na declined 4% in the quar-
an outside supplier and plier and available on Apple Inc.'s online store is seen in Hong ciation over a comment ter ending in June, but that
Kong Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. A display of the app "HKmap.
available on Apple Inc.'s live" designed by an outside supplier and available on Apple by the general manager of was an improvement over
online store, "facilitates ille- Inc.'s online store is seen in Hong Kong Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. the Houston Rockets in sup- the 25% contraction in the
gal behavior," People's Dai- Associated Press port of the protesters. Chi- first half of its fiscal year.
ly said in a commentary. na's state TV has canceled "This recklessness will cause
"Is Apple guiding Hong use of tear gas and other "What I can tell you is that broadcasts of NBA games. much trouble for Apple,"
Kong thugs?" the newspa- details that are added to these radical, violent crimes "Apple jumped into this on People's Daily said. "Apple
per said. a regularly updated map. in Hong Kong have seri- its own and mixed together needs to think deeply."
Beijing has pressed compa- Another version is available ously challenged the legal business with politics and Apple also is an important
nies including Hong Kong's for smartphones that use system and social order in commercial activity with asset to China.
Cathay Pacific Airways to the Android operating sys- Hong Kong, threatened the illegal activities," People's Most of its iPhones and tab-
take the government's side tem. safety of Hong Kong resi- Daily said. let computers are assem-
against the protests, which Asked whether the Chinese dents' lives and property, The newspaper warned bled in Chinese factories
are in their fourth month. government had asked and undermined the pros- Apple might be damaging that employ hundreds of
Apple didn't immediately Apple to remove HKmap. perity and stability of Hong its reputation with Chinese thousands of people. Chi-
respond to a request for live from its online store, a Kong," said the spokesman, consumers. nese vendors supply com-
comment. foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. Brands targeted in the past ponents for Mac Pro com-
HKmap.live allows users said he had no information "Anyone who has a con- by Beijing have been sub- puters that are assembled
to report police locations, about that. science and justice should jected to campaigns by in Texas.q