Why do you need our phone numbers?

[Sarreck]

It's pretty creepy of the Steam team to demand our phone number when purchasing a game. I buy basically everything online from games, to groceries, to bills, to vacations, etc. And only the creepy creeps running Steam need my phone number. Don't give me some b.s. about needing it to verify, literally every other thing I've ever purchased online outside of Steam has not needed it. Next you'll be asking for stool samples. These are the same kinds of people you find peeking in people's windows at night. Sniffers.

[Mr. Warhead]

Цитата допису Sarreck:

Mr Warhead, I appreciate the link but there isn't an answer there. Apparently it may have used to be optional, but it is mandatory now. I bought a game an hour ago, and am downloading it still. As of 1 hour ago, it is a required field.

Copied from the reddit itself:
(...)

Most if not all online retailers require you to input a phone number as part of the billing address requirements. I know Amazon does for one other major example.

It never usually gets used but its required to have as part of your billing address. I think its technically meant to assist a driver with delivery of a package is maybe why its just become a part of billing/mailing addresses.

Of course steam is digital anyways so that wouldn't be an issue and even with actual packages Ive never had a driver call me even for a failed delivery or anything.

Steam now requires a billing address for every purchase as of January 2020 under new tax laws hence they require your phone number. You can save it though to only enter it once.

[Judgmental Amaterasu]

Цитата допису Sarreck:

You are just paranoid
Ive actually had the same number i use for steam for 30 years and dont get no spam

You've never got any call trying to sell you a warranty or any other call from obvious scammers in foreign countries? I get them weekly.

False equivalence. Regardless of what you think, your phone number and even your address isn't some secret you're closely guarding. Anyone can get it in any number of ways.

[fluxtorrent]

OP is clearly wrong, you have to give all sorts of contact info to have a drivers liscence, register a vehicle, insure it. Same goes for buying a house, the idea that none of these require a phone number is laughable

Hell you can't book a vacation online without giving a phone number and almost all delivery services require it too, so so much for the groceries or other online purchase options he claims either.

No credit card issuers do so without requiring a phone number either. So you have to wonder how they can claim they have one of those without having given it

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису Mr. Warhead:

Цитата допису Sarreck:

Mr Warhead, I appreciate the link but there isn't an answer there. Apparently it may have used to be optional, but it is mandatory now. I bought a game an hour ago, and am downloading it still. As of 1 hour ago, it is a required field.

Copied from the reddit itself:
(...)

Most if not all online retailers require you to input a phone number as part of the billing address requirements. I know Amazon does for one other major example.

It never usually gets used but its required to have as part of your billing address. I think its technically meant to assist a driver with delivery of a package is maybe why its just become a part of billing/mailing addresses.

Of course steam is digital anyways so that wouldn't be an issue and even with actual packages Ive never had a driver call me even for a failed delivery or anything.

Steam now requires a billing address for every purchase as of January 2020 under new tax laws hence they require your phone number. You can save it though to only enter it once.

This doesn't answer the question at all. No Tax Law demands the buyer have a phone number. That would be illegal and discriminate against any person who doesn't have one. Well it would be illegal in the U.S., not sure of other countries. And amazon doesn't require my phone number. Nor does Walmart when I order online. Maybe I got grandfathered in on Amazon from a time before?

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису fluxtorrent:

OP is clearly wrong, you have to give all sorts of contact info to have a drivers liscence, register a vehicle, insure it. Same goes for buying a house, the idea that none of these require a phone number is laughable

Hell you can't book a vacation online without giving a phone number and almost all delivery services require it too, so so much for the groceries or other online purchase options he claims either.

No credit card issuers do so without requiring a phone number either. So you have to wonder how they can claim they have one of those without having given it

False equivalency. You're comparing people who ask for your phone number to actually communicate with you about ongoing services they provide you against what Steam is doing with it. When is the last time Steam called you? Of course I gave my number to my car loan and mortgage but for COMMUNICATION. Not for "so called" verification. Please try comprehension. If someone asks for my phone number because they need to FREAKING CALL me, then of course that makes sense. LOL Steam does not call you.

[fluxtorrent]

Цитата допису Sarreck:

Цитата допису fluxtorrent:

OP is clearly wrong, you have to give all sorts of contact info to have a drivers liscence, register a vehicle, insure it. Same goes for buying a house, the idea that none of these require a phone number is laughable

Hell you can't book a vacation online without giving a phone number and almost all delivery services require it too, so so much for the groceries or other online purchase options he claims either.

No credit card issuers do so without requiring a phone number either. So you have to wonder how they can claim they have one of those without having given it

False equivalency. You're comparing people who ask for your phone number to actually communicate with you about ongoing services they provide to Steam. When is the last time Steam called you? Of course I gave my number to my car loan and mortgage but for COMMUNICATION. Not for "so called" verification. Please try comprehension

And yet all those services sell your information, where as Valve has always stated they do not.

[Tristin]

If you are so paranoid to giving your phone number to your "seller", not some random hobo on street, who takes such information to make your account safe and to serve your needs? I don't know what to say. I'm sure you used your name, email, home address, phone number in various other things already. So why get so worked up now? Why don't you get fake identity? Why use Windows, if you do? Why use public provided telephone company instead of your own? You make no sense whatsoever.

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису fluxtorrent:

Цитата допису Sarreck:

And yet all those services sell your information, where as Valve has always stated they do not.

You're trusting they ask for the phone number for security purposes. I have demonstrated it is completely unnecessary for security purposes. So, ultimately, I can not prove they are lying about selling the data, but I can prove they are lying about needing it for security. It is NOT necessary. Hell next time I'll put in a fake phone number and we'll see if I get "protected" somehow.

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису Tristin:

If you are so paranoid to giving your phone number to your "seller", not some random hobo on street, who takes such information to make your account safe and to serve your needs? I don't know what to say. I'm sure you used your name, email, home address, phone number in various other things already. So why get so worked up now? Why don't you get fake identity? Why use Windows, if you do? Why use public provided telephone company instead of your own? You make no sense whatsoever.

This proves MY point. You and I agree that it is simple to just lie about the phone number. Which proves it is NOT necessary for security. That has been my point the whole time.

[fluxtorrent]

Цитата допису Sarreck:

Цитата допису fluxtorrent:

And yet all those services sell your information, where as Valve has always stated they do not.

You're trusting they ask for the phone number for security purposes. I have demonstrated it is completely unnecessary for security purposes. So, ultimately, I can not prove they are lying about selling the data, but I can prove they are lying about needing it for security. It is NOT necessary. Hell next time I'll put in a fake phone number and we'll see if I get "protected" somehow.

I'm trusting that they disclose wether they sell user data as they are required to by law, yes.

Just like visa and mastercard are required to (and they do, as stated in their terms of service)

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису fluxtorrent:

Цитата допису Sarreck:

I'm trusting that they disclose wether they sell user data as they are required to by law, yes.

Just like visa and mastercard are required to (and they do, as stated in their terms of service)

Phone number is not needed for security - I can use a fake phone number.
Phone number is not used to communicate with me - I've never been called by Steam.
Thus, they are asking for personal data they do not use to verify information or to communicate. I can only assume they asking for it for some reason, and since I can prove it isn't for verification by using a fake phone number and I can prove it isn't for communication as I've never been called by Steam, then it must be for some reason other than security or communication.

[fluxtorrent]

So in other words you have no argument and are just ranting for no reason, got it.

Well good luck in your crazy

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису fluxtorrent:

So in other words you have no argument and are just ranting for no reason, got it.

Well good luck in your crazy

What? I demonstrated they don't use it for verification and I demonstrated they don't use for communication. That means I demonstrated they must use for some other reason. I proved my point. Unless your next post demonstrates you have some sort of intelligence, I think I'll just ignore you. It's okay to disagree, but only trolls call someone crazy after they lost their argument.

Edit, also I reported you for harassment for calling me crazy. Be a better person. Hopefully they will call you and explain why you shouldn't harass people.

[davidb11]

Steam has never asked me for my phone number.
LOL wut.

That doesn't even make sense.

[Sarreck]

Цитата допису davidb11:

Steam has never asked me for my phone number.
LOL wut.

That doesn't even make sense.

The irony is that I agree it does not make sense. But it did demand I put in my phone number 2 hours ago when I purchased Terra Invecta. I tried to not put it in, and it gave me an error that said it MUST be put in.