Steam Removing Users Access to Their Game Library for Speech

[Negativeman]

Be very careful as Steam has begun removing users' access to their libraries for "racism". A forum ban is one thing and totally justifiable, but banning users from their library is unacceptable. As we know and have seen many times before, the window of allowable speech only grows narrower and this issue only gets worse. Not to mention they went back to comments made back in 2017 to justify his ban. Are we going to start taking "off-site rule violations" into account as well in the future ala Twitch?

I for one am not going to invest my money into a service that thinks it allowable to deny me access to my 14+ year account and the countless games I'e bought. I'll definitely be getting my games "elsewhere" and I recommend you do too unless this ban is overturned. Say whatever you like about how insidious his comments are or how you don't like OAG, but at the end of the day, continuing to invest money into this service is just too much of a risk for me.

https://www.oneangrygamer.net/2020/06/steam-user-loses-game-library-after-valve-perma-bans-him-for-extreme-racism/110937/

[kitt]

maybe the User shouldn't act like a menace?

[Negativeman]

Originally posted by kitt:

maybe the User shouldn't act like a menace?

As we've seen with YouTube, Twitch, and many online games. The criteria for these bans only get looser and eventually expand into off-site rule violations. While he was acting like a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, the appropriate response is to ban him from the forums or his comms in game, not to remove access to all his games including offline ones.

[Brimzel]

Eh, I never say anything that can be used against me, so I'm good.

[Mailer]

oneangrygamer[dot]net

Sure sounds like a reputable and unbiased domain, omegalul

Author: Billy D
Billy has been rustling Jimmies for years covering video games, technology and digital trends within the electronics entertainment space. The GJP cried and their tears became his milkshake.

Sure sounds like a qualified author, omegalul

Wherever you choose to get your outlet of news is your business. I am just here to remind you that biased articles and news outlets exist.

[Start_Running]

Well. The guy likely deserved it. I mean if you're going to constantly, constantly break the rules of the platform, then you're gonna get the boot.
People who aren't supreme asshats don't have to worry about such things.

[Negativeman]

Originally posted by Honeypot Trap:

Eh, I never say anything that can be used against me, so I'm good.

Maybe for now, but you'll be surprised in 5 years what is considered acceptable. Look at the YouTube landscape today compared to 5 or 10 years ago for an example. What is considered milquetoast and inoffensive today, eventually becomes offensive. This is a real issue when you take into account that they brought up messages he made 3 years ago.

[Negativeman]

Originally posted by Mailer:

oneangrygamer[dot]net

Sure sounds like a reputable and unbiased domain, omegalul

Author: Billy D
Billy has been rustling Jimmies for years covering video games, technology and digital trends within the electronics entertainment space. The GJP cried and their tears became his milkshake.

Sure sounds like a qualified author, omegalul

Wherever you choose to get your outlet of news is your business. I am just here to remind you that biased articles and news outlets exist.

There is no such thing as unbiased media. Regardless, the bias is a moot point. The issue stands that unacceptable speech will get your access to your games removed. A policy that is unacceptable to me.

Originally posted by Start_Running:

Well. The guy likely deserved it. I mean if you're going to constantly, constantly break the rules of the platform, then you're gonna get the boot.
People who aren't supreme asshats don't have to worry about such things.

I am 100% fine with permabanning his presence from the forums and muting his comms for months in online games. I would even encourage it. However, removing access to all your games (including single player) is draconian and the exact kind of issue we were warned about when digital content and DRM like Steam were first introduced. The chickens have come home to roost and quite frankly I'm cutting my losses before the problem gets worse.

[Brimzel]

What I'm saying is that all I do on these forums is provide assistance and answer questions, not try to insult others. I doubt Steam is gonna ban me in 1000 years because I helped someone recover their account, hahah. People should just try to be respectful and nothing bad will happen. The ban you showed us was completely deserved, maybe try to provide another example that better ilustrates your point...

[Negativeman]

Originally posted by Honeypot Trap:

What I'm saying is that all I do on these forums is provide assistance and answer questions, not try to insult others. I doubt Steam is gonna ban me in 1000 years because I helped someone recover their account, hahah. People should just try to be respectful and nothing bad will happen. The ban you showed us was completely deserved, maybe try to provide another example that better ilustrates your point...

What it comes down to is we have fundamentally different opinions on what level of moderation is acceptable for speech, period. I don't think you should lose access to the content you paid for, for something that was said in the forums. I could post examples of people being banned from Twitch for offsite rule violations (Steam's future), but ultimately if you think that's justifiable then there's really not much I can say to sway you. Not ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on you or calling you stupid, it's just a fundamental and irreconcilable difference of opinion.

[Mailer]

Originally posted by Negativeman:

Originally posted by Mailer:

Sure sounds like a reputable and unbiased domain, omegalul

Sure sounds like a qualified author, omegalul

Wherever you choose to get your outlet of news is your business. I am just here to remind you that biased articles and news outlets exist.

There is no such thing as unbiased media. Regardless, the bias is a moot point. The issue stands that unacceptable speech will get your access to your games removed. A policy that is unacceptable to me.

In that case you should also read up on all of the other criteria on which Valve may terminate your account or your subscriptions, in the subscriber agreement that you and them (the victim in question) agreed to when you created your accounts:
https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

[Xautos]

Originally posted by Negativeman:

Be very careful as Steam has begun removing users' access to their libraries for "racism". A forum ban is one thing and totally justifiable, but banning users from their library is unacceptable. As we know and have seen many times before, the window of allowable speech only grows narrower and this issue only gets worse. Not to mention they went back to comments made back in 2017 to justify his ban. Are we going to start taking "off-site rule violations" into account as well in the future ala Twitch?

I for one am not going to invest my money into a service that thinks it allowable to deny me access to my 14+ year account and the countless games I'e bought. I'll definitely be getting my games "elsewhere" and I recommend you do too unless this ban is overturned. Say whatever you like about how insidious his comments are or how you don't like OAG, but at the end of the day, continuing to invest money into this service is just too much of a risk for me.

https://www.oneangrygamer.net/2020/06/steam-user-loses-game-library-after-valve-perma-bans-him-for-extreme-racism/110937/

No one is above the rules and guidelines on a privately ran forum and service, Valve can be as generous or as draconian about it as they like as it is theirs to police. you understood that when agreeing to use the service.

With that stated if this user did in fact act the way he did in a racist manner? He got what he deserved.

Originally posted by Negativeman:

The chickens have come home to roost and quite frankly I'm cutting my losses before the problem gets worse.

Why are you still here in that case? you said your piece, the door is over there.

[Negativeman]

Originally posted by Mailer:

Originally posted by Negativeman:

There is no such thing as unbiased media. Regardless, the bias is a moot point. The issue stands that unacceptable speech will get your access to your games removed. A policy that is unacceptable to me.

In that case you should also read up on all of the other criteria on which Valve may terminate your account or your subscriptions, in the subscriber agreement that you and them agreed to when you created your accounts:
https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

Kinda pointless at this point seeing as I won't be buying from Steam anymore unless they address this issue.

[ShelLuser]

This sounds more like trollbait than a well meant warning to me. See.. How would you know why someone got banned? You don't.

And all the "what if's" are useless speculation anyway.

[Negativeman]

Originally posted by Xautos:

Originally posted by Negativeman:

Be very careful as Steam has begun removing users' access to their libraries for "racism". A forum ban is one thing and totally justifiable, but banning users from their library is unacceptable. As we know and have seen many times before, the window of allowable speech only grows narrower and this issue only gets worse. Not to mention they went back to comments made back in 2017 to justify his ban. Are we going to start taking "off-site rule violations" into account as well in the future ala Twitch?

I for one am not going to invest my money into a service that thinks it allowable to deny me access to my 14+ year account and the countless games I'e bought. I'll definitely be getting my games "elsewhere" and I recommend you do too unless this ban is overturned. Say whatever you like about how insidious his comments are or how you don't like OAG, but at the end of the day, continuing to invest money into this service is just too much of a risk for me.

https://www.oneangrygamer.net/2020/06/steam-user-loses-game-library-after-valve-perma-bans-him-for-extreme-racism/110937/

no one is above the rules and guidelines on a privately ran forum and service and Valve can be as generous or as draconian about it as they like as it is theirs to police. you understood that when agreeing to use the service.

with that stated if this user did in fact act the way he did in a racist manner, he got what he deserved.

Originally posted by Negativeman:

The chickens have come home to roost and quite frankly I'm cutting my losses before the problem gets worse.

Why are you still here in that case? you said your piece, the door is over there.

I'll determine when I've said my piece, thank you very much

[Gilga ™ |Yonaguni|]

Just wow, but he didn`t stopped and i agree, this people should be perma banned.