×
Gaming platform Itch.io recovers from AI anti-phishing mishap
Written by
Published on
Join our daily newsletter for breaking news, product launches and deals, research breakdowns, and other industry-leading AI coverage
Join Now

The indie game platform itch.io experienced a brief but significant service disruption due to an automated brand protection system’s misidentification of potential trademark infringement.

The incident overview: A domain takedown affected itch.io for several hours on Monday morning, stemming from an AI-powered brand protection system’s report about alleged phishing activities.

  • The shutdown was triggered by BrandShield, a brand protection service working on behalf of Funko, the company known for Funko Pop collectible figures
  • The domain registrar, iwantmyname, disabled itch.io’s domain despite the platform having already addressed the initial complaint
  • Users could still access the site directly through its IP address during the outage

Root cause analysis: The shutdown originated from a single user-created fan page for a Funko Pop video game on the platform.

  • The fan page contained screenshots and links to the official Funko Fusion game
  • Despite itch.io’s prompt removal of the content after receiving complaints, the automated system proceeded with the domain takedown
  • BrandShield later clarified that their takedown request was intended only for the specific subdomain, not the entire itch.io platform

Technical response: The situation was resolved when the domain registrar finally acknowledged itch.io’s compliance with the removal request.

  • The platform was restored by 7 AM Eastern time
  • BrandShield emphasized that the complete domain takedown was executed by service providers, not by their company or Funko
  • The incident highlights the sometimes overzealous nature of automated brand protection systems

Broader implications: The event underscores the vulnerability of web-based platforms to DNS and domain registration issues.

  • Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including a DNS root server desync in May that affected large portions of the internet
  • The situation demonstrates how automated brand protection systems can sometimes create unintended consequences for legitimate platforms
  • The incident raises questions about the balance between protecting intellectual property and maintaining stable internet infrastructure

Future considerations: This event exemplifies the growing tension between automated brand protection measures and the normal operation of legitimate online platforms, suggesting a need for more nuanced approaches to digital rights enforcement and domain management.

Itch.io platform briefly goes down to “AI-driven” anti-phishing report

Recent News

New framework prevents AI agents from taking unsafe actions in enterprise settings

The framework provides runtime guardrails that intercept unsafe AI agent actions while preserving core functionality, addressing a key barrier to enterprise adoption.

Leaked database reveals China’s AI-powered censorship system targeting political content

The leaked database exposes how China is using advanced language models to automatically identify and censor indirect references to politically sensitive topics beyond traditional keyword filtering.

Study: Anthropic uncovers neural circuits behind AI hallucinations

Anthropic researchers have identified specific neural pathways that determine when AI models fabricate information versus admitting uncertainty, offering new insights into the mechanics behind artificial intelligence hallucinations.