"Link removed" on harmless websites - why?

[GODzilla]

I've been using directupload net as my primary hoster for pictures for years now and during the past few weeks I've had an awful experience with it in the Steam chat.

Whenever I try to send a screenshot or picture to one of my steamfriends, the chat removes the link completely for the recipient. I can see it and click on it but are then presented with a Valve website, explaining that the content was rated harmful and thus blocked.

In all of these cases I had to login to, for instance, a forum both I and the recipient use, find him there and use the good old private messaging system to get one lousy URL to him. Back to the stoneage! Only other alternative is the usage of another chat client but I very much doubt this is what Valve had in mind when they added this "feature".

So I ask: Why? Who thought it was a good idea to implement it the way it is now? Why not at least let the recipient decide whether to actually watch the link or not? But instead it is removed before it even gets there.

This is just another example of company decision for the "good of their customers" without any say of the actual customer. Like googles great idea to block non-official addons in their browser with no way around it no matter how hard you try. Yeah because we are stupid and need to be protected, is that it? -.-

[Mr. Hemlock]

Considering Steam Support has hundreds of thousands of people complaining about their accounts getting hacked, scammed, hijacked, and many other things, I think Steam is well within their rights to block a few site links that have been associated in the past with such activity.

[GODzilla]

it's an imagehoster. And those are direct links I use, they end in .jpeg or .png. Scam, hacks...wad?

[autist on cocaine]

I dont understand this ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ too, i cant send teamspeak ip's and and and, but scam bots are still able to send me those links, which lets you insta download are virus! nice filter steam! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ not

[Mr. Hemlock]

I in no way said it was a perfect system, rather just giving an explanation of logic.

[GODzilla]

And I get it. But "logic" is a bit missing there, imho. It would suffice to show the recipient the same website I get when I click on the link - a warning that it could be some malicious stuff. And then the user could decide whether to continue or not. But instead the recipient doesn't get the link at all. My post to him or her looks like "hey, look at this [LINK REMOVED]".

This is not logical, this is toxic. Why have a chat when, for sending simple linke, you then have to rely on other, older means? Do I really have to e-mail or PM someone a link I'd like to show him via steamchat? -.-

[Spawn of Totoro]

I is logical though. Many accounts lost their items due to a virus that sent bad links to everyone in their friends list. This was spread through chat saying "hey, look at this [LINK]" and similar styles. They linked to various hosting sites and even some known image sites, all containing a .scr file with the virus.

If it is a choice between allowing a harmful link to get through or blocking a legit site, the choice is logical as there is no harm in block the site, but allowing the bad link will effect the account as well as others that is spreads to.

If you wish to state the name of the site, I can ask my fellow moderators who are good with the filter system, if they know of a way to let i through while still blocking malicious links.

Remember, just because you use a site for it's intended purpose, does not mean that others are not misusing it in some way.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by GODzilla:

it's an imagehoster. And those are direct links I use, they end in .jpeg or .png. Scam, hacks...wad? :watchingyou::watchingyou:

Did you try without the .jpg in the end?

Also when the user gets him self "hacked" asking him, is a little pointless..

Originally posted by Shoxed:

I dont understand this ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ too, i cant send teamspeak ip's and and and, but scam bots are still able to send me those links, which lets you insta download are virus! nice filter steam! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ not

TeamSpeak has a problem that they use to message that you need to "update" when downloading that you get a virus..
So yes, they block that for that

And outher sites like file hosting, or shortness as they are also used by the scammers

Originally posted by GODzilla:

And I get it. But "logic" is a bit missing there, imho. It would suffice to show the recipient the same website I get when I click on the link - a warning that it could be some malicious stuff. And then the user could decide whether to continue or not. But instead the recipient doesn't get the link at all. My post to him or her looks like "hey, look at this [LINK REMOVED]".

This is not logical, this is toxic. Why have a chat when, for sending simple linke, you then have to rely on other, older means? Do I really have to e-mail or PM someone a link I'd like to show him via steamchat? -.-

"These commands were written with blood"
That is something that is said something that is said here at times, it means that someone died for the commands to be written and there for are not to be taken lightley

These filters are the same, users got there accounts stolen and 10000000$ worth of items stolen, also with the filter there, they keep going to the site and downloading the malware

No one likes to be limited so giving any ability to ignore it, will likely result in some users getting there accounts taken, giving harm to all the community, if by getting there accounts to become Phising bots, or if by damaging the worth of an item by Valve making a second copy to give back to the owner, or by getting more phishers to get on, as its successful, and also Steam Support load