129
Steam Hosted Malware Game that Stole $32,000 from a Cancer Patient Live on Stream (www.404media.co)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/games@sh.itjust.works
22 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

https://archive.ph/2025.09.23-142643/https://www.404media.co/steam-hosted-malware-game-that-stole-32-000-from-a-cancer-patient-live-on-stream/

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 6 points 1 year ago (9 children)

Okay, an Account Wall so they can sell my email address. Same difference.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 9 child comments
    •
  • [–] 14 points 1 year ago (8 children)

    What, specifically, makes you think an independent media organization that reports on privacy, data breaches, corporate malfeasance, and the “dark” sides of the internet,would turn around and do that to the readers their jobs depend on? If you knew about any of the four reporters that founded 404 Media, or the incredibly high quality journalism they produce, this thought wouldn’t have even crossed your mind.

    404 Media, as other commenters have said, are completely up front and transparent about why they require a login, and how much they dislike the fact that it’s necessary.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 8 child comments
    •
  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (5 children)

    If you knew about any of the four reporters that founded 404 Media, or the incredibly high quality journalism they produce, this thought wouldn’t have even crossed your mind.

    If one could ever actually read anything on 404 Media in the first place, maybe one would know that. But as somebody who doesn't have the preexisting knowledge of who founded the org or what sort of reporting they do, it's hard to glean anything useful when the articles are cut off by a paywall.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
    •
  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    Not a paywall. Free.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 3 child comments
    •
  • [–] -2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    You're paying with your data.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    How? 404 only asks for email as an AI deterent, and you can opt out of anything up front.

    Good journalism costs money, and ad impressions to humans pays while AI traffic costs.

    Maybe you do your job for free?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago*

    That’s totally fair and understandable. I hate the login too. But it’s a small annoyance to get to read their free articles imo, since you still have to pay to read everything. But that’s their entire business model. It’s expensive to do the shit they do independently, but I totally get that not everyone can pay or can glean the values of an organization without already being familiar with their work.

    I realize I came on a bit strong, I just see a lot of people dismiss 404’s reasoning for adding that extra friction for their free stuff.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent