#fraud detection software

[mfilterit]

What Should Marketers Look for in a Bot Detection Tools?

In today’s digital marketing landscape, bots impacting your campaigns, website analytics, and overall performance is becoming an enormous issue with all the organizations running any kind of advertising campaign. To put a stop on the ad fraud that is caused by bots, having bot detection tools is vital.  After all, how can you put a stop to bots if you can’t detect.  

Unfortunately, many firms struggle to detect bot traffic, and the methods they employ are not all created equal. Choosing the right bot detection tool is essential for safeguarding your marketing efforts. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you select the best tool for your needs.

What Is Invalid Traffic and How Does It Relate to Bots? 

Bot fraud in digital advertising generally falls in the category of invalid traffic by the marketers no matter good or bad since the bots are not the target audience and cannot be converted into a protentional lead.  

Types of Invalid Traffic:   

General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) – It is one of the simplest bots that can be detected easily, and a lot of good bots traffic comes under GIVT as they are not meant to fool the bot detection tool. But some fraudsters may also deploy GIVT as they are easy to make and work against some of their targets.  

Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) – SIVT detection is the bots that one should look out for as these are more capable and are often designed to target to bypass cybersecurity and fraud prevention tools. For Example – sophisticated bots might imitate how a human would use a website so it would be difficult to identify between a human and bot. SIVT is common in ad fraud schemes.

Bot detection in USA, UAE, India, Saudi Arabia

Click here to read more: What should marketers look for in a Bot Detection Tool

[autotrophit]

RBI’s MuleHunter: Pioneering the Future of Fraud Detection

More than just technology, MuleHunter acts as a vigilant guardian, leveraging advanced artificial intelligence to identify, address, and thwart fraudulent activities. Here's an overview of its groundbreaking capabilities:

Key Features of MuleHunter AI

Intelligent Pattern Recognition: MuleHunter detects anomalies in transaction patterns, such as an unexpected spike in fund transfers by accounts with historically minimal activity. This proactive approach ensures early detection of suspicious behavior. Example: A student’s account, suddenly processing large transactions, was flagged, leading to the discovery of its misuse for money laundering.

Real-Time Monitoring: Fraud doesn’t wait for office hours. MuleHunter works around the clock, scanning transactions and raising immediate alerts on suspicious activity. Example: A coordinated fraud attempt involving ₹10 crores in nighttime transactions was intercepted before the funds could be withdrawn.

Unified Data Integration: By bridging data across banks, MuleHunter creates comprehensive user profiles, ensuring fraudsters can’t exploit inter-bank gaps. Example: An individual flagged for mismatched KYC details across multiple banks was part of an international laundering ring.

Self-Learning AI: MuleHunter adapts to emerging fraud tactics using machine learning, staying ahead of ever-evolving schemes like QR code exploitation.

Cross-Bank Collaboration: Acting as a “financial neighborhood watch,” MuleHunter facilitates information sharing between institutions, dismantling fraud networks. Example: MuleHunter helped connect activities across four banks, leading to the dismantling of a mule account network.

Why MuleHunter is a Game-Changer

Proactive Prevention: MuleHunter catches fraud in real time, minimizing losses.

Operational Efficiency: Automating detection reduces manual workload and speeds up responses.

Collaborative Ecosystem: Cross-bank integration fosters a unified fight against financial crime.

Challenges and Future Prospects

Despite its advancements, MuleHunter’s effectiveness depends on ongoing innovation and cooperation:

Data Privacy: Safeguarding customer information while enabling data integration is crucial.

Adapting to New Threats: As fraudsters evolve, MuleHunter must continuously refine its algorithms.

Global Reach: Expanding its capabilities to international transactions could combat cross-border fraud effectively.

Conclusion

MuleHunter AI exemplifies the RBI’s commitment to safeguarding India’s financial ecosystem. With its ability to preempt fraud and foster collaboration across institutions, it’s setting new benchmarks in security. As technology progresses, tools like MuleHunter will be indispensable in building a safer, trust-driven banking future.

Here’s to a world where innovation keeps your money secure and fraud at bay.

Read More: RBI’s MuleHunter

[velocityfss]

Fraud Detection Tool - Velocity Fincrime Suite

Our fraud detection tool is a cutting-edge solution designed to safeguard your business against financial losses and reputational damage. Leveraging advanced machine learning algorithms and real-time data analysis, it tirelessly monitors transactions, identifying suspicious activities and patterns. Whether it's fraudulent credit card transactions, identity theft, or insider threats, our tool provides rapid alerts, allowing you to take immediate action.

With a user-friendly interface and seamless integration into your existing systems, it offers a comprehensive view of potential risks. Customizable thresholds and rules empower you to tailor detection to your specific needs. Stay one step ahead of fraudsters and protect your assets with our powerful fraud detection tool.

[olivergisttv]

How to Use AI to Predict and Prevent Cyberattacks

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, cyberattacks are becoming more frequent, sophisticated, and devastating. As businesses and individuals increasingly rely on technology, the need to bolster cybersecurity has never been more critical. One of the most promising solutions to combat this growing threat is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI can enhance cybersecurity by predicting,…

[tawhidurrahmandear]

Iraboti

In our lives, lotteries are often required for government or social work. Here are some examples:

A child is about to be admitted to a school, but there are more applicants than the available seats.

After 200 people attended interviews, 30 were considered qualified, each possessing the same level of qualification. However, according to the job posting, only 10 candidates will be hired.

A special benefit or offer is being provided, but out of numerous applicants, only a few will be chosen as winners.

Through a tender process, one contractor will be selected from several equally qualified candidates.

It is precisely at these moments that the lottery is needed in public. We often doubt the authenticity of these computerized lotteries. Perhaps certain numbers have been pre-set within the code to ensure specific people win. What is the solution to this problem?

To ensure the credibility of the lottery, an open-source automated lottery software is required, so that anyone can view the Source Code and verify that no manipulation has taken place. To prevent this problem I developed lottery software - Iraboti

Iraboti Live: https://tawhidurrahmandear.github.io/iraboti

Source code: https://github.com/tawhidurrahmandear/iraboti

As the source code is open-source, there is no scope for corruption. I developed the entire software with HTML + CSS + JavaScript, and is made available on GitHub, allowing anyone to download it from the internet and read its code on any regular computer. Enough comments have been written in the JavaScript section for better understanding.

আমাদের জীবনে চলার পথে, সরকারি বা সামাজিক কাজে প্রায়ই লটারি প্রয়োজন হয়। কিছু উদাহরণ দেয়া যাক:

১. সন্তান কোন স্কুলে ভর্তি হবে, কিন্তু আসন সংখ্যার তুলনায় অধিক শিক্ষার্থী ভর্তিতে আগ্রহী। ২. প্রায় ২০০ মানুষ ইন্টারভিউ প্রদানের পর ৩০ জন যোগ্য বিবেচিত হলেন, যারা প্রত্যেকেই সমান যোগ্যতার অধিকারী। কিন্তু নিয়োগ বিজ্ঞপ্তি অনুযায়ী চাকুরীতে ১০ জন প্রার্থীকে নেয়া হবে। ৩. কোন একটি বিশেষ সুবিধা বা অফার প্রদান করা হচ্ছে, কিন্তু অজস্র আবেদনকারীর মধ্যে হতে নির্দিষ্ট কয়েকজনকে বিজয়ী করা হবে। ৪. টেন্ডারের মাধ্যমে একাধিক সমযোগ্যতা-সম্পন্ন ঠিকাদারের মধ্য হতে একজনকে মনোনীত করা হবে।

ঠিক এই মূহুর্তগুলোতেই জনসম্মুখে লটারি প্রয়োজন। আমরা প্রায়শই কম্পিউটার পরিচালিত এই সব লটারির সত্যতা সম্পর্কে সন্দেহ প্রকাশ করি। হয়তবা কোডের অভ্যন্তরে পূর্বেই নির্দিষ্ট কয়েকজনকে বিজয়ী করার উদ্দেশ্য কিছু নাম্বার সেট করে রাখা হয়েছে। এই সমস্যার সমাধান কি?

লটারির বিশ্বাসযোগ্যতা নিশ্চিত করার জন্য প্রয়োজন একটি ওপেন-সোর্স স্বয়ংক্রিয় লটারি সফটওয়্যার, যেন যে কেউ তার সোর্স-কোড দেখে নিশ্চিত হতে পারেন, ভিতরে কোন কারচুপি করা হয় নি। এই সমস্যা প্রতিরোধকল্পে আমার তৈরি লটারি সফটওয়্যার - ইরাবতী

ইরাবতী লাইভঃ https://tawhidurrahmandear.github.io/iraboti

সোর্সকোডঃ https://github.com/tawhidurrahmandear/iraboti

যেহেতু সোর্সকোড উম্মুক্ত, তাই দূর্নীতির কোন সুযোগ থাকবে না। আমি পুরো সফটওয়্যার তৈরি করেছি HTML + CSS + JavaScript দিয়ে, এবং Github এ উম্মুক্ত করা হয়েছে, যেন যে কেউ তা ইন্টারনেট হতে নামিয়ে সরাসরি যে কোন সাধারণ কম্পিউটারে এর কোড পড়ে নিতে পারেন। জাভাস্ক্রিপ্ট অংশে সহজবোধ্যতার জন্য পর্যাপ্ত পরিমাণ কমেন্ট ব���যবহৃত হয়েছে।

[alwajeeztech]

ZATCA VAT & Tax Return System in ALZERP Cloud ERP Software

The ALZERP Cloud ERP Software offers a comprehensive tax return system designed to facilitate the calculation, moderation, and finalization of VAT and tax returns. This system ensures businesses comply with the Saudi Arabian tax regulations set by the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (ZATCA). By automating and streamlining the tax return process, ALZERP helps businesses achieve accuracy and…

[cogitateus1]

3 Key Factors To Consider Before Starting Your Digital Insurance Transformation Journey

According to a recent KPMG survey, 85% of CEOs in the insurance industry believe that COVID-19 has made digitizing procedures more necessary. Additionally, according to 8 out of 10 respondents, the pandemic hastened business attempts to develop seamless digital experiences for customers, both internal and external. A major factor driving the digitalization of business models is the widespread usage of platforms and software for insurance.

Insurance companies aim to accelerate their digital transformation by integrating digital insurance software with their core systems. Digital channels that are driven by insurance digitalization software solutions have swiftly evolved from "nice to have" features to essential tools for any insurance company trying to implement a customer-first strategy.

There is currently a greater divide than ever between insurance companies using traditional business methods and insurers propelled by technology. Insurers who have already invested in digital insurance platforms are beginning to reap the benefits of an accelerated digital transformation and a modern customer experience.

How do you start the process of digital transformation?

1. How to begin your digital transformation journey?

It is undeniable that assembling an internal IT team and managing their development of a customized platform is a laborious undertaking, particularly if it is outside of your primary area of expertise and could take years to launch. These apps would also require expensive and challenging routine updates and maintenance.

The process of adding, updating, or removing goods, business lines, and states is extremely laborious and complicated.

Because the digital insurance platform has built-in DIY configuration options (low-code-no-code), business users are less dependent on corporate IT personnel. This is allowing business users to easily add, delete, and alter products, rates, LoBs, and states in a matter of days, which is having a significant impact on the transformation of the insurance industry. It also works as an excellent insurance claim fraud detection device.

2. Digital Insurance Platform Solution that can Integrate with Core and Legacy Systems

It is necessary for insurers to reconsider their digitalization approach and evaluate the insurance software that is currently on the market. Currently, insurers must commit to accelerating the deployment of digital projects, particularly if they are not using any digital insurance platforms or are technologically falling behind the competitors.

Verifying that the digital insurance platform solutions you selected to link with your current core and legacy systems is the quickest approach to guarantee that digitalization picks up speed in your organization. As a result, there is no longer any requirement to swap out the current systems for the new ones. Furthermore, it drastically shortens the timeframes for implementation and go-live, which used to take months or even years, to only a few weeks. Furthermore, the interfaces of contemporary insurance software systems are generally user-friendly and intuitive, requiring little to no training, which lessens the need for change management and employee anxiety.

3. Enhance the User Experience for your Customers and Channel Partners

Regarding the significance of creating a fantastic user experience in the modern era, there are no disagreements. Digitally aware customers quickly switch to a new provider if their expectations are even slightly unmet. The world's Ubers and Meta have accustomed us all to slick, user-friendly interfaces and customer-focused corporate procedures. The insurance sector is slowly catching up.

Using digital insurance software solutions, you may streamline communication between all value chain participants and completely reorganize the current operations. With the help of integrated digital engagement solutions (chatbots, AI, mobile applications, portals, etc.), insurance companies may offer individualized service and forge closer bonds with their clients and channel partners.

Conclusion

In an era of perpetual change, digitalization gives modern insurers a tactical edge and speed that helps them stay relevant. The competition and customer expectations are rising in the digital age, and using technology wisely, updating business models, and developing your workforce's skills and abilities are all necessary for success. Find out how the Cogitate DigitalEdge Insurance Platform may assist you in the insurance industry's digital age.

[rachvictor05]

Understanding Healthcare Fraud Detection Software Solutions

Healthcare fraud detection software solutions are specialized tools designed to identify and prevent fraudulent activities within the healthcare system. These solutions use advanced algorithms and data analytics to detect anomalies, patterns, and behaviors indicative of fraud. By analyzing vast amounts of data from insurance claims, patient records, and billing processes, the software can flag suspicious activities that may indicate fraudulent behavior.

Key features of these solutions often include real-time monitoring, automated alerts, and sophisticated pattern recognition. They help healthcare providers, insurers, and regulatory bodies to detect fraudulent claims, billing irregularities, and other deceptive practices efficiently. By integrating with existing healthcare IT systems, these tools offer a comprehensive approach to managing and mitigating fraud risks.

The implementation of fraud detection solutions enhances the integrity of healthcare services, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately and reducing financial losses. Additionally, it supports compliance with regulatory standards and protects patient data from misuse. Overall, these solutions are crucial in maintaining trust and accountability within the healthcare industry, ultimately leading to more efficient and transparent operations.

[jcmarchi]

Many firms prefer ready-made AI software with a few tweaks - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/many-firms-prefer-ready-made-ai-software-with-a-few-tweaks-technology-org/

Many firms prefer ready-made AI software with a few tweaks - Technology Org

Artificial intelligence has changed nearly every industry, from manufacturing and retail to construction and agriculture. And as AI becomes even more ubiquitous, firms often opt for off-the-shelf technology that can be modified to meet their needs.

Chris Forman, the Peter and Stephanie Nolan Professor in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, was part of a research team that examined firms’ decisions to adopt AI technology and how that adoption was sourced: by purchasing ready-made software; by developing their own; or with a hybrid strategy, which the researchers say may reflect “complementarity” among sourcing approaches.

In an analysis of more than 3,000 European firms, they found that many—particularly in science, retail trade, finance, real estate, and manufacturing—are increasingly opting for ready-made technology tailored to the firm’s specific needs. While AI may seem to be threatening the human workforce, these findings indicate that workers with AI-related skills will still be needed.

“In the vast majority of industries, firms are doing both readymade and in-house development, and I think it’s an interesting question for future work to understand why that’s the case,” said Forman, co-author of “Make or Buy Your Artificial Intelligence? Complementarities in Technology Sourcing,” which published March 5 in the Journal of Economics and Management Strategy.

“Ready-made software is important,” he said, “but for the vast majority of firms, it does not appear to be a substitute for in-house software, which suggests that it’s not, at least in the short run, going to eliminate the need for AI-related skills.”

Charles Hoffreumon, a doctoral student at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, is the corresponding author. Nicolas van Zeebroeck, a professor of digital economics and strategy at the Solvay Brussels School, is the other co-author.

For their study, the researchers examined data from a survey conducted in 2020 by the Directorate-General of Communications Networks, Content and Technology from the European Commission (EC), which assessed AI adoption across the 27 countries of the European Union. The team used data from 3,143 firms across Europe in the study.

Business software is hard to implement, and historically as new technologies spread firms have relied on ready-made software. “This aspect of trying to understand the extent to which ready-made software could potentially substitute for the need for skills was interesting.” Forman said.

The study’s data comprised firms in 10 industry sectors, with the largest share coming from manufacturing (19%), trade and retail (18%), and construction (12%). Industries with the smallest share of respondents included agriculture (4%) and utilities (3%).

Firms most commonly use AI for the following purposes: fraud or risk detection, process or equipment optimization, and process automation in warehouses or robotics.

Among respondents who had adopted at least one AI application, more than 58% reported using ready-made software; nearly 38% hired an external consultant; 24% used modified commercial software; 20% used in-house software; and 20% modified open-source technology for their firm’s needs. Some firms deployed the technology in multiple ways.

Among the findings: The financial and scientific sectors – and to a lesser extent IT – preferred developing and customizing their own software while agriculture, construction and human health preferred ready-made solutions.

Forman said that in the past, as new technology spreads, the demand for different types of skills emerges. “Historically, the net effect has tended to be that, overall, labor demand goes up,” he said, “but it remains to be seen what happens in this case.”

As often happens with new technology, Forman said, the diffusion of AI technology to early adopters has resulted in users’ best practices getting incorporated into ready-made software, which makes these solutions even better. This was the case, he said, with enterprise resource planning – automation software that helps to run an entire business.

“When you look at prior digital technologies, there’s often a process of complementary innovation, or co-invention, where you figure out how to use this digital technology most effectively for your firm,” Forman said. “That usually takes place over time, through experimentation and figuring out what works and doesn’t.”

The authors wrote that this research “has taken the first steps toward highlighting the importance of sourcing strategies to understanding the diffusion of AI.”

Source: Cornell University

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[xintecglobal]

Fraud Case Management Software - Xintec

Introducing Xintec's Fraud Case Management Software - the ultimate solution for effortlessly managing and combating fraud in Telecom Industry. Our cutting-edge software harnesses the power of advanced AI technology to detect, analyze, and prevent fraudulent activities in real-time. With Xintec, you'll have the confidence to protect your business from any financial threats while streamlining your operations. Don't let fraud take control - trust Xintec's Fraud Case Management Software for unrivaled security and peace of mind.

[mfilterit]

Programmatic Advertising Trends Shaping the Digital Industry

It is clear that despite the changes in privacy laws and the decline of cookies, programmatic advertising is here to stay. However, for marketers who want to keep reaping the benefits of this amazing advertising technology, it has become imperative to keep up with the current trends.

Top 7 Programmatic Advertising Trends

- Contextual Advertising

As cookies are phased out, marketers will quickly realize that first-party data solutions cannot be the sole alternative. After all, there is only so much data available right now.

Marketers will have to find innovative ways to target the right audience, and contextual advertising may prove to be a promising solution. With contextual advertising, instead of targeting user personas, advertisers place ads on websites based on the content of those websites which is contextually relevant.

This will benefit both users and advertisers. Users will not have to struggle with being subjected to irrelevant ads ruining the experience of the content they are trying to consume. At the same time, advertisers can rest assured that users are likely to show interest in their product/service since it is being advertised next to something contextually relevant.

Fraud Detection in UAE and Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines. Malaysia.

- Newer Ad Formats – Audio and Video Ads

Programmatic advertising has already evolved from simple display ads to video display ads.

This year, advertisers are expected to spend nearly $74.88 billion on programmatic video advertising, accounting for over 18% of the total programmatic advertising spend in the US. Videos are better at capturing attention and allow for more creative freedom.

It’s a no-brainer that their popularity will grow in the programmatic world, just as it has in all other areas of marketing.

Advertise safely in programmatic platforms with our advanced Ad fraud Detection Software.

[clicksbuster]

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Click Fraud Protection: 

With so many options available, selecting the best click fraud protection for your business can be overwhelming. Our comprehensive guide breaks down the key features to look for, including real-time monitoring, customizable settings, and robust reporting. Make an informed decision and protect your business from click fraud.

[m2p-fintech]

5 Reasons why Banks need Behavioral Biometrics- M2P Fintech

Stronger security: Behavioral biometrics uses unique behavioral patterns and actions to verify the identity of an individual, providing a stronger form of authentication when compared to traditional methods such as passwords and security tokens. 

User convenience: Unlike traditional biometrics, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, behavioral biometrics do not require any physical input from the user. Instead, it uses actions and behaviors that are performed naturally, such as typing rhythm and mouse movements. This makes it a convenient and user-friendly method of authentication.   

Continuous authentication: Behavioral biometrics continuously monitor the actions and behaviors of the user, ensuring that the user’s identity is continuously verified even after initial authentication. This helps prevent fraud by detecting any changes in behavior that may indicate that a fraudster has taken over the account.  

More difficult to mimic: Unlike other forms of biometrics, it is difficult for a fraudster to mimic the unique behavioral patterns of an individual. This makes it a more secure form of authentication, reducing the risk of fraud.  

Improved fraud detection: By continuously monitoring user behavior, behavioral biometrics can help financial institutions identify potential fraud and investigate suspicious activity, giving them another layer of security to their customer’s accounts.  

The technology behind behavioral biometrics is evolving, and there is no doubt that a lot of work in this space is already underway. The early indications are quite clear that it will be a key component of banks’ arsenal against the continuously evolving world of fraud. It’s high time banks take behavioral biometrics seriously to authenticate and protect end-users from hacking and fraud. 

[treasure-mimic]

So, let me try and put everything together here, because I really do think it needs to be talked about.

Today, Unity announced that it intends to apply a fee to use its software. Then it got worse.

For those not in the know, Unity is the most popular free to use video game development tool, offering a basic version for individuals who want to learn how to create games or create independently alongside paid versions for corporations or people who want more features. It's decent enough at this job, has issues but for the price point I can't complain, and is the idea entry point into creating in this medium, it's a very important piece of software.

But speaking of tools, the CEO is a massive one. When he was the COO of EA, he advocated for using, what out and out sounds like emotional manipulation to coerce players into microtransactions.

"A consumer gets engaged in a property, they might spend 10, 20, 30, 50 hours on the game and then when they're deep into the game they're well invested in it. We're not gouging, but we're charging and at that point in time the commitment can be pretty high."

He also called game developers who don't discuss monetization early in the planning stages of development, quote, "fucking idiots".

So that sets the stage for what might be one of the most bald-faced greediest moves I've seen from a corporation in a minute. Most at least have the sense of self-preservation to hide it.

A few hours ago, Unity posted this announcement on the official blog.

Effective January 1, 2024, we will introduce a new Unity Runtime Fee that’s based on game installs. We will also add cloud-based asset storage, Unity DevOps tools, and AI at runtime at no extra cost to Unity subscription plans this November. We are introducing a Unity Runtime Fee that is based upon each time a qualifying game is downloaded by an end user. We chose this because each time a game is downloaded, the Unity Runtime is also installed. Also we believe that an initial install-based fee allows creators to keep the ongoing financial gains from player engagement, unlike a revenue share.

Now there are a few red flags to note in this pitch immediately.

Unity is planning on charging a fee on all games which use its engine.

This is a flat fee per number of installs.

They are using an always online runtime function to determine whether a game is downloaded.

There is just so many things wrong with this that it's hard to know where to start, not helped by this FAQ which doubled down on a lot of the major issues people had.

I guess let's start with what people noticed first. Because it's using a system baked into the software itself, Unity would not be differentiating between a "purchase" and a "download". If someone uninstalls and reinstalls a game, that's two downloads. If someone gets a new computer or a new console and downloads a game already purchased from their account, that's two download. If someone pirates the game, the studio will be asked to pay for that download.

Q: How are you going to collect installs? A: We leverage our own proprietary data model. We believe it gives an accurate determination of the number of times the runtime is distributed for a given project. Q: Is software made in unity going to be calling home to unity whenever it's ran, even for enterprice licenses? A: We use a composite model for counting runtime installs that collects data from numerous sources. The Unity Runtime Fee will use data in compliance with GDPR and CCPA. The data being requested is aggregated and is being used for billing purposes. Q: If a user reinstalls/redownloads a game / changes their hardware, will that count as multiple installs? A: Yes. The creator will need to pay for all future installs. The reason is that Unity doesn’t receive end-player information, just aggregate data. Q: What's going to stop us being charged for pirated copies of our games? A: We do already have fraud detection practices in our Ads technology which is solving a similar problem, so we will leverage that know-how as a starting point. We recognize that users will have concerns about this and we will make available a process for them to submit their concerns to our fraud compliance team.

This is potentially related to a new system that will require Unity Personal developers to go online at least once every three days.

Starting in November, Unity Personal users will get a new sign-in and online user experience. Users will need to be signed into the Hub with their Unity ID and connect to the internet to use Unity. If the internet connection is lost, users can continue using Unity for up to 3 days while offline. More details to come, when this change takes effect.

It's unclear whether this requirement will be attached to any and all Unity games, though it would explain how they're theoretically able to track "the number of installs", and why the methodology for tracking these installs is so shit, as we'll discuss later.

Unity claims that it will only leverage this fee to games which surpass a certain threshold of downloads and yearly revenue.

Only games that meet the following thresholds qualify for the Unity Runtime Fee: Unity Personal and Unity Plus: Those that have made $200,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 200,000 lifetime game installs. Unity Pro and Unity Enterprise: Those that have made $1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months AND have at least 1,000,000 lifetime game installs.

They don't say how they're going to collect information on a game's revenue, likely this is just to say that they're only interested in squeezing larger products (games like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Fate Grand Order, Among Us, and Fall Guys) and not every 2 dollar puzzle platformer that drops on Steam. But also, these larger products have the easiest time porting off of Unity and the most incentives to, meaning realistically those heaviest impacted are going to be the ones who just barely meet this threshold, most of them indie developers.

Aggro Crab Games, one of the first to properly break this story, points out that systems like the Xbox Game Pass, which is already pretty predatory towards smaller developers, will quickly inflate their "lifetime game installs" meaning even skimming the threshold of that 200k revenue, will be asked to pay a fee per install, not a percentage on said revenue.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: Hey Gamers!

Today, Unity (the engine we use to make our games) announced that they'll soon be taking a fee from developers for every copy of the game installed over a certain threshold - regardless of how that copy was obtained.

Guess who has a somewhat highly anticipated game coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2024? That's right, it's us and a lot of other developers.

That means Another Crab's Treasure will be free to install for the 25 million Game Pass subscribers. If a fraction of those users download our game, Unity could take a fee that puts an enormous dent in our income and threatens the sustainability of our business.

And that's before we even think about sales on other platforms, or pirated installs of our game, or even multiple installs by the same user!!!

This decision puts us and countless other studios in a position where we might not be able to justify using Unity for our future titles. If these changes aren't rolled back, we'll be heavily considering abandoning our wealth of Unity expertise we've accumulated over the years and starting from scratch in a new engine. Which is really something we'd rather not do.

On behalf of the dev community, we're calling on Unity to reverse the latest in a string of shortsighted decisions that seem to prioritize shareholders over their product's actual users.

I fucking hate it here.

-Aggro Crab - END DESCRIPTION]

That fee, by the way, is a flat fee. Not a percentage, not a royalty. This means that any games made in Unity expecting any kind of success are heavily incentivized to cost as much as possible.

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A table listing the various fees by number of Installs over the Install Threshold vs. version of Unity used, ranging from $0.01 to $0.20 per install. END DESCRIPTION]

Basic elementary school math tells us that if a game comes out for $1.99, they will be paying, at maximum, 10% of their revenue to Unity, whereas jacking the price up to $59.99 lowers that percentage to something closer to 0.3%. Obviously any company, especially any company in financial desperation, which a sudden anchor on all your revenue is going to create, is going to choose the latter.

Furthermore, and following the trend of "fuck anyone who doesn't ask for money", Unity helpfully defines what an install is on their main site.

While I'm looking at this page as it exists now, it currently says

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

However, I saw a screenshot saying something different, and utilizing the Wayback Machine we can see that this phrasing was changed at some point in the few hours since this announcement went up. Instead, it reads:

The installation and initialization of a game or app on an end user’s device as well as distribution via streaming or web browser is considered an “install.” Games or apps with substantially similar content may be counted as one project, with installs then aggregated to calculate the Unity Runtime Fee.

Screenshot for posterity:

That would mean web browser games made in Unity would count towards this install threshold. You could legitimately drive the count up simply by continuously refreshing the page. The FAQ, again, doubles down.

Q: Does this affect WebGL and streamed games? A: Games on all platforms are eligible for the fee but will only incur costs if both the install and revenue thresholds are crossed. Installs - which involves initialization of the runtime on a client device - are counted on all platforms the same way (WebGL and streaming included).

And, what I personally consider to be the most suspect claim in this entire debacle, they claim that "lifetime installs" includes installs prior to this change going into effect.

Will this fee apply to games using Unity Runtime that are already on the market on January 1, 2024? Yes, the fee applies to eligible games currently in market that continue to distribute the runtime. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

Again, again, doubled down in the FAQ.

Q: Are these fees going to apply to games which have been out for years already? If you met the threshold 2 years ago, you'll start owing for any installs monthly from January, no? (in theory). It says they'll use previous installs to determine threshold eligibility & then you'll start owing them for the new ones. A: Yes, assuming the game is eligible and distributing the Unity Runtime then runtime fees will apply. We look at a game's lifetime installs to determine eligibility for the runtime fee. Then we bill the runtime fee based on all new installs that occur after January 1, 2024.

That would involve billing companies for using their software before telling them of the existence of a bill. Holding their actions to a contract that they performed before the contract existed!

Okay. I think that's everything. So far.

There is one thing that I want to mention before ending this post, unfortunately it's a little conspiratorial, but it's so hard to believe that anyone genuinely thought this was a good idea that it's stuck in my brain as a significant possibility.

A few days ago it was reported that Unity's CEO sold 2,000 shares of his own company.

On September 6, 2023, John Riccitiello, President and CEO of Unity Software Inc (NYSE:U), sold 2,000 shares of the company. This move is part of a larger trend for the insider, who over the past year has sold a total of 50,610 shares and purchased none.

I would not be surprised if this decision gets reversed tomorrow, that it was literally only made for the CEO to short his own goddamn company, because I would sooner believe that this whole thing is some idiotic attempt at committing fraud than a real monetization strategy, even knowing how unfathomably greedy these people can be.

So, with all that said, what do we do now?

Well, in all likelihood you won't need to do anything. As I said, some of the biggest names in the industry would be directly affected by this change, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they're not just going to take it lying down. After all, the only way to stop a greedy CEO is with a greedier CEO, right?

(I fucking hate it here.)

And that's not mentioning the indie devs who are already talking about abandoning the engine.

[Links display tweets from the lead developer of Among Us saying it'd be less costly to hire people to move the game off of Unity and Cult of the Lamb's official twitter saying the game won't be available after January 1st in response to the news.]

That being said, I'm still shaken by all this. The fact that Unity is openly willing to go back and punish its developers for ever having used the engine in the past makes me question my relationship to it.

The news has given rise to the visibility of free, open source alternative Godot, which, if you're interested, is likely a better option than Unity at this point. Mostly, though, I just hope we can get out of this whole, fucking, environment where creatives are treated as an endless mill of free profits that's going to be continuously ratcheted up and up to drive unsustainable infinite corporate growth that our entire economy is based on for some fuckin reason.

Anyways, that's that, I find having these big posts that break everything down to be helpful.