Itch.io, a prominent indie game marketplace, experienced downtime recently due to a phishing report generated by Funko’s AI-powered brand protection software, according to an Itch.io post on X (formerly Twitter). The software, provided by BrandShield, flagged a page on Itch.io, leading to the domain being disabled by the registrar, iwantmyname, despite Itch.io’s response. Itch.io suspected an automated system was responsible for the takedown.
For those unfamiliar, Itch.io serves as a digital marketplace for indie games, assets, music, comics, and more. It’s a popular platform for discovering and playing lesser-known indie titles. While the downtime lasted several hours, the site has since been restored in most regions.
The initial X post from Itch.io detailed the situation, stating that Funko’s “trash AI-powered” software generated the “bogus phishing report.” The tweet directly mentioned the companies involved: Itch.io (@itchio), Funko (@OriginalFunko), BrandShield (@BrandShieldltd), and iwantmyname (@iwantmyname). The tweet also linked to the original post from December 9, 2024 (https://twitter.com/itchio/status/1866017758040993829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw).
Itch.io’s Response and Community Reaction
Itch.io confirmed the removal of the flagged page. While the incident sparked discussions of potential legal action among users on X, Itch.io’s primary focus was restoring the website’s functionality.
Fortunately, no content or data loss occurred during the downtime. However, creators relying on the platform likely experienced a temporary loss of income. Itch.io hosts over a million products, and the disruption affected their accessibility. Downloaded games remained playable due to their DRM-free nature.
Temporary Workaround and Restoration
During the outage, Itch.io posted a follow-up message (https://x.com/itchio/status/1866049560411566495?t=6Z-SbE8rtkBfWcNIBf6fsQ&s=19) suggesting a temporary workaround involving modifying the hosts file with the IP address 45.33.107.166 for those technically inclined. However, access gradually resumed for users in different regions.
The Impact of AI-Driven Brand Protection
This incident highlights the potential pitfalls of AI-driven brand protection systems. While intended to protect brands from online threats, false positives can lead to unintended consequences, as demonstrated by Itch.io’s temporary takedown. This underscores the need for robust oversight and mechanisms to address such situations promptly and effectively.
The incident also emphasizes the importance of diversified platform access for indie developers and the potential vulnerability of relying solely on a single marketplace. While Itch.io’s swift action mitigated the damage, the event served as a reminder of the potential disruptions posed by automated systems and the importance of clear communication channels between platforms, registrars, and brand protection services.
