Star Atlas Nabs Two Scammers; Assets Frozen
Star Atlas game developer Automata has taken action against two wallets accused of distributing stolen assets.
Feb 24th, 2023 — The Hologram News Network has learned that Star Atlas developer Automata has taken unilateral action in freezing Star Atlas assets held by two separate wallet accounts. These actions were taken on February 3rd against two wallets involved in what was likely determined to be the scamming of Star Atlas assets.
Star Atlas NFT Freeze Authority
Independent blockchain analysts provided HNN with the details of Star Atlas freeze actions late on February 24th. A little known fact about Solana NFTs is that the ability to freeze a token is retained by the mint account, thus granting Automata the ability to freeze game assets.
The two accused wallets involved in the freeze are:
- 3mC4yT7kPBqJ9LSxDi2LXYG3HxYFY9uDhgAknXdM4sor
- BVJESvrDeXZcSX5UVdK2Tt57Lur9gyakgCfdX45pVQ1V
These wallets were likely to be found in violation of Section 3.4 of Star Atlas Terms of Service.
The 3mC4 wallet was also identified to be involved in a number of other scams including one affecting GARI Panda NFT holders .
The freeze function must be enabled prior to a token’s mint, however if enabled, it allows a number of freeze and block commands to be sent to a particular NFT no matter the current owner at the time.
Star Atlas Freeze Command Wallet
Higher Stakes in Web3
While the freezing of accounts or assets is not unique to Web3 gaming, the stakes for doing so are certainly higher. In traditional gaming, if a player violates a company’s Terms of Service, the resulting action is usually a temporary or permanent ban of the player’s account. When this occurs, the violating players loses nothing but the time the put into the game and may suffer a bit of wounded pride.
However, in Web3 gaming, should a player’s account or assets become frozen, the implication is that real monetary value is now the subject of legal action. The freezing of assets could cost an individual hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
While Automata has shown neither cause nor intent to carry a heavy handed application of this power, this does beg several legal questions —
- Who determines by what judicial standard if an account should or should not be frozen?
- By what judicial process does said authority reach a conclusion or determination of guilt?
- Is said verdict appealable or are decisions permanent?
Star Atlas is purported to be a future open digital democracy in the metaverse. While most democracy’s judicial proceedings have variations in their execution, an underlying tenet common across democracies is due process.
It is, without a doubt, that violators of the common Star Atlas good should be punished accordingly. However, in the interest of Star Atlas citizen’s rights, the burden of proof should be placed upon the accuser. Furthermore, like in a democracy, a fair and public judicial proceeding should be had prior to any determination of guilt.
Think for a moment, should a player become falsely accused of impropriety. That player may find themselves the subject of legal action which may result in the loss of a significant value in assets AND potential revenue. What protection or recourse of action does this player have? Without any internal safeguards in place, the player must then resort to civil legal action which invites a host of legal bog unto Automata.
Rather than depend on an inadequate legal system outside of Star Atlas, the citizenry should call for an established legal system and legal rights enshrined within the upcoming Star Atlas constitution. Only then can Star Atlas citizens be readily assured of protection against the unilateral authority of Automata. If Automata cannot acquiesce to these conditions, then is the Star Atlas metaverse they are building truly a place of freedom?
Automata did not return a request for comment at time of article publishing.
About the Author
Krigs is a pioneer in the world of Star Atlas, having founded The Hologram News Network — an independent meta-news organization that keeps players up to date on all developments regarding Star Atlas. An ardent supporter of emerging technologies, Krigs has been covering this game for over a year and believes passionately in their power to revolutionize our collective gaming experience.
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