If you get a community ban, can you still use your steam account?

[xao ling]

See above

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=4312-UOJL-0835

[Spawn of Totoro]

Yes.

All a community ban does is prevent you from using community features, such as the forums, comment, screenshots, ect.

You will still have full access to all your games.

[xao ling]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Spawn of Totoro:

Yes.

All a community ban does is prevent you from using community features, such as the forums, comment, screenshots, ect.

You will still have full access to all your games.

Are current screenshots affected?

[casualsailor]

For screeeshots, if I remember correctly, yes. You cannot upload screenshots or workshop items. You many not be able to edit or change the permissions or delete them either.

I played a game called Space Engineers. It is a building game in which one shares pics and examples of ones creations thru the workshop.

In addition those of us who ran servers used the workshop to upload mods which helped us build and support our servers. When I was banned for a month because the moderator wanted to argue with me about my opinions I found it made it impossible for me to manage my server.

So, I no longer use the Steam forums to discuss that game or for any other where the moderators have a heavy hand and ban members for capricious reasons.

Basically, as I see it if you cannot discuss the game honestly then the forum serves no purpose. And if Valve is unwilling to police their vendor's moderators then there is nothing which can be done.

[casualsailor]

@davidb11 Yes you can download things from the workshop but you cannot upload anything. This is particularly problematic if you use the workshop or even the screenshot library to archive games or record progress.

But I cannot agree with you about developer's moderators. I'm not currently banned from any forum but that is because don't use many of them.

My experience was that many of the dev's moderators act in a capricious manner with little regard for rules.

For example. I was having an argument with another member in the Warships forum when the member called me an "idiot." I thanked him for the victory since when your opponent in a debate is reduced to sputtering invectives it is the white flag of surrender.

The moderator then threatened me with a ban for "inciting" others. When I noted that there is no rule against motivating another to action particularly when that action is to come up with a better argument and that I was in fact the "insulted" party the moderator then threatened to ban me for "backseat moderation." When I ask if that rule applied to Private Messages such as we were exchanging he indicated that he could do whatever he wanted. So, I don't use their forums anymore.

As for something that got me a ban. Maybe you can explain what rule this post broke. I got a one week ban for this one.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/244850/discussions/3/1696043806559489284/?ctp=2#c1696043806560582404

[Spawn of Totoro]

Początkowo opublikowane przez meh:

Początkowo opublikowane przez davidb11:

Also, moderators can be reported if you think they're abusing their powers.
THat works for any moderator.

Interesting. I am currently challenging the moderator covering one of the EA Game forums on Steam. I was given a community warning for something that I believe to be non-existent. I got no response from them. I am aware Valve don't usually moderate the individual game forums, but it's sad to see them being used for EA politics, which is oppressive.

Reporting on the profile works for global moderators.

For game hub moderators, you will need to contact the game's developer as they are in charge of their moderators.

[casualsailor]

Początkowo opublikowane przez davidb11:

All I know is no moderator is above the law, so to speak.
Even official Steam moderators have been fired in the past.
So, Valve does have the final say in some aspects.

Keep in mind, just because someone thinks the moderator is breaking the rules doesn't mean they are actually breaking the rules.

EA also shouldn't be moderating like it's their own forum.

Actually that is not correct.

I have reached out to Steam support for a Developer's moderator who admitted that English was not his first language. As a result he would often misinterpret jokes as serious attacks and confuse sincerity and sarcasm.

Steam's position is quite clear. Unless the developer's moderator bans you or otherwise discriminates against you because you are a member of a protected class then Steam will not intervene. Period.

As for reaching out to the developer. I've tried. From within Steam you are at the mercy of the moderator. If they don't want to escalate your issue then you are powerless.

You can try opening a ticket with the developer's support network but I found that less than useless. They claimed they had no access to the Community Message I received via Steam and then ignored all questions I asked pertaining to my ban.

That's why my advice is NOT to use Steam's Forums for games from companies who do not hold their moderators to any particular standard. It's not worth the ban given that you will never be able to discuss the game honestly. You'll just frustrate yourself trying to tap-dance around the moderator's tender sensibilities.

Censorship is not a unique problem on the Steam forums. Look at Facebook and Twitter. They ban medical professionals for speaking what they believe to be true just because it is contrary to current political decisions.