Removing all discussion posts

[❤Federa❤]

Is there any way to completely remove all forum history from my account? I don't really want my silly posts from years ago sitting around anymore. Can this be done by a moderator?

I know I can just do it manually, but it'll take wayyy too much time.

[Matt]

You'd have to delete posts one by one, in threads that are not locked. People have asked support, but it's not something they do.

[snh]

I'm one of those people that requested it via support. Though I really just wanted to know whether or not it's within my rights to request deletion considering article 17 of GDPR (the right to be forgotten). Support kind of dodged my question and just told me the deletion isn't possible. I'm guessing this is something they really don't want to do.

[Levi]

I could find a handful of threads where users have already asked as well.

They don't have any interest in deleting comments / posts that you've made, even at your request.

[ReBoot]

Does the GDPR even apply here? It's all about data companies got on you, but forum posts are something you have publicly stated yourself.
That,and talking about deleting publicly available information is counter - productive due to the Streisand effect.

[ElvisDeadly]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Does the GDPR even apply here? It's all about data companies got on you, but forum posts are something you have publicly stated yourself.
That,and talking about deleting publicly available information is counter - productive due to the Streisand effect.

Yeah it has nothing to do with the GDPR right to be forgotten.

GDPR is to do with personal information companies hold about you, why they hold it, who they share it with and if they need to retain it.

[Brian9824]

Yep the GDPR means a company has to delete your account, porifle, personal information, etc in their database. It doesn't mean they have to delete your posts or stuff like that.

[snh]

Originally posted by ElvisDeadly:

Yeah it has nothing to do with the GDPR right to be forgotten.

The description of Article 17[www.privacy-regulation.eu] is "The right to be forgotten[www.privacy-regulation.eu]", these aren't made up words. I'd be inclined to agree with the comments, however this has not been the case with personal dealings of GDPR compliance, your data is your data regardless of whether or not it is public - that's kind of the whole point of GDPR, hence bringing the article into question.

[ElvisDeadly]

Originally posted by snh:

Originally posted by ElvisDeadly:

Yeah it has nothing to do with the GDPR right to be forgotten.

The description of Article 17[www.privacy-regulation.eu] is "The right to be forgotten[www.privacy-regulation.eu]", these aren't made up words. I'd be inclined to agree with the comments, however this has not been the case with personal dealings of GDPR compliance, your data is your data regardless of whether or not it is public - that's kind of the whole point of GDPR, hence bringing the article into question.

Forum posts don't count as personal data a company holds about you.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by snh:

Originally posted by ElvisDeadly:

Yeah it has nothing to do with the GDPR right to be forgotten.

The description of Article 17[www.privacy-regulation.eu] is "The right to be forgotten[www.privacy-regulation.eu]", these aren't made up words. I'd be inclined to agree with the comments, however this has not been the case with personal dealings of GDPR compliance, your data is your data regardless of whether or not it is public - that's kind of the whole point of GDPR, hence bringing the article into question.

Actually it specifically says

1. The data subject shall have the right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning him or her without undue delay and the controller shall have the obligation to erase personal data without undue delay where one of the following grounds applies:

Forum posts are not classified as personal data. You can read what is defined as personal data here - https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

The data subjects are identifiable if they can be directly or indirectly identified, especially by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or one of several special characteristics, which expresses the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, commercial, cultural or social identity of these natural persons. In practice, these also include all data which are or can be assigned to a person in any kind of way. For example, the telephone, credit card or personnel number of a person, account data, number plate, appearance, customer number or address are all personal data.

So your discussions on a forum are not personal data.

[snh]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Forum posts are not classified as personal data. You can read what is defined as personal data here - https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

Thanks, this is helpful. Quotes from the referenced link:

Since the definition includes “any information,” one must assume that the term “personal data” should be as broadly interpreted as possible.

...SNIP...

In addition, one must note that personal data need not be objective. Subjective information such as opinions, judgements or estimates can be personal data.

Steam Privacy Policy:

3.3 Other Data You Explicitly Submit

We will collect and process Personal Data whenever you explicitly provide it to us or send it as part of communication with others on Steam, e.g. in Steam Community Forums, chats, or when you provide feedback or other user generated content.

If anything this backups up my point, but for the sake of not drawing in any more attention to this topic and its inevitable lock, I'll rather wait on the support response.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by snh:

Originally posted by brian9824:

Forum posts are not classified as personal data. You can read what is defined as personal data here - https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

Thanks, this is helpful.

Edit:

Quotes from the referenced link:

Since the definition includes “any information,” one must assume that the term “personal data” should be as broadly interpreted as possible.

..SNIP..

Subjective information such as opinions, judgements or estimates can be personal data.

If anything this backups up my point, but for the sake of not drawing in any more attention to this topic and its inevitable lock, I'll rather wait on the support response.

It doesn't back your point up, it's missing the point entirely. Forum posts ain't data Valve has on you, forum posts are public information you've posted on a public place for anyone to see.

[ElvisDeadly]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Forum posts ain't data Valve has on you, forum posts are public information you've posted on a public place for anyone to see.

^ This

This is the important part to understand.

As far as the law around Data Protection is concerned, forum posts are not data that Valve holds about you.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by snh:

Originally posted by brian9824:

Forum posts are not classified as personal data. You can read what is defined as personal data here - https://gdpr-info.eu/issues/personal-data/

Thanks, this is helpful. Quotes from the referenced link:

Since the definition includes “any information,” one must assume that the term “personal data” should be as broadly interpreted as possible.

...SNIP...

In addition, one must note that personal data need not be objective. Subjective information such as opinions, judgements or estimates can be personal data.

If anything this backups up my point, but for the sake of not drawing in any more attention to this topic and its inevitable lock, I'll rather wait on the support response.

Again, your leaving parts of it out. The data has to be able to be used to identify an individual. Your forum posts don't do so in any way that can distinguish you from any other user on steam. It also doesn't apply to information YOU post out there, only data that companies collect.

Steam doesn't delete forum posts, and the EU has no issues with them not doing so. It's been asked before and the same response. There is no way to delete your forum posts, you could change your profile name and then delete your account but the forum posts would remain.

Otherwise the forums would be unusable if they were going around deleting chunks of posts and making conversations missing pieces.

[Iceira]

Still think steam should lock thread as read, then some time has passed, someday someone necro a post and op is dead and gone.

even seen post from 5year ago and someone think he has same problem, sure make new post link to old, but keep necro old threads is wrong, i mean i think i can still find a book with earth is flat, but to sit a claim it now dont make it right.
so yes steam need to adjust its longterm post and deal with it, sure i have contact support with it, but that dont mean they will change this.

[MalikQayum]

Originally posted by snh:

Steam Privacy Policy:

3.3 Other Data You Explicitly Submit

We will collect and process Personal Data whenever you explicitly provide it to us or send it as part of communication with others on Steam, e.g. in Steam Community Forums, chats, or when you provide feedback or other user generated content.

If anything this backups up my point, but for the sake of not drawing in any more attention to this topic and its inevitable lock, I'll rather wait on the support response.

if they (steam support) don't want to remove the post content they (steam support) should at least remove the alias used and the steamid identifier that made the post, and replace it with "removed user post" or something.