It is enough, age verification system now for German users

[redsimonDE]

Today Steam dropped a nuke for users living in Germany:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/ki12if/steam_now_regionblocks_all_adultonly_games_in/

In short, Steam SILENTLY (no notification was given) banned all games that included full n00dity or intense 3rotic interaction (sorry for describing it like this to avoid censorship) for German users.
Steam implemented this silent ban obviously to avoid backlash and criticism, as is common for internet corporations unfortunately.

For frakks sake Valve, implement a proper age verification system already!

German users have demanded this for years and years. We have spoken with our wallets to support Steam and were hit with censorship after censorship.

This censorship may be due to German laws, but it only needs to prevent minors from accessing these games, not everyone.

It's not like the German video game market is small, you made a lot of revenue from Germany for years and years, and continue to do so.

Stop treating your German customers like dirt.
I'm an adult, I am allowed to buy these games, but you are to lazy to add a feature to your store even though there's a good amount of money in for you as an incentive.

In fact, I am willing to pay a premium to access everything that's not illegal in Germany (that's almost everything if you're an adult). I'm sure many other German users would too.

It is time Valve made a proper statement about this and promised to add an age verification system to the Steam client.

Technically Steam isn't allowed to sell ANY age restricted game for the age brackets of 16+ or 18+ in Germany without age verification.

These age groups of the German rating system for games ALSO need to be verified.
But they are still on sale without necessary age verification.

Apparently German authorities and courts have not applied any pressure with regards to that. Yet.

Link to the discussion in German in German discussions forum:

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/24/3004429475616252303/

[redsimonDE]

Something else for the discussion:
Technically Steam wouldn't be allowed to sell ANY game in Germany without age verification.

The ages of the German rating system for games ALSO need to be verified.
It's just that German authorities and courts have not applied any pressure with regards to that.

Yet.

I added that to the original post.

[Drab]

Petition the German goverment to give Valve access to their identity confirmation system.

Then ask them how Valve will be able to verify that the person providing the ID online is the person who owns the ID.

[[?]legit]

Well you could see this in a positive way, all these low quality hentai bs games are now filtered out automatically.

[LizardWizard]

cSg|mc-Hotsauce の投稿を引用：

Blame your government, not Valve for complying.

:qr:

.... Or just simply allow 'strong' age-verification.

This isn't rocket science. Find a business in Germany that can perform this type of verification, ask your users to provide verification from such a business, profit for both parties. It can be applied as an international solution.

This is more Steam's fault, as its the one who decided to include adult content into the store. Other game stores, even online ones, haven't had any problem keeping it out. Even if they don't address the German laws, they will inevitably have to address it the next time it pops up internationally in another country. Adult only laws or taboos aren't going away.

[Brian9824]

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

.... Or just simply allow 'strong' age-verification.

This isn't rocket science. Find a business in Germany that can perform this type of verification, ask your users to provide verification from such a business, profit for both parties. It can be applied as an international solution.

It cannot be applied as an international solution as the requirements vary in every country as far as what needs to be provided and what's required. It's also not that simple, and if it involves stuff like saving government id on file then that also changes the rules that steam has to follow internationally for data security for instance.

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

This is more Steam's fault, as its the one who decided to include adult content into the store. Other game stores, even online ones, haven't had any problem keeping it out.

Steam hasn't had any problem keeping it out either, as the OP pointed out all the adult content is now out of the german store. Problem solved.

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

Even if they don't address the German laws, they will inevitably have to address it the next time it pops up internationally in another country. Adult only laws or taboos aren't going away.

Yep, same solution, just filter it out of the store like they did with Germany and just like all the other game stores you mention do.

[つかさ]

The issue is it is a joke at all usual real freaking porn sites have the same type of age verification or less its the usual are u 18 yes no ok have fun ♥♥♥♥ but why disallow games or block em at all
also games that can be patched to 18+ with a patch from an external source are all still on steam amusingly and come on age verification is ok if they would create an option to show such stuff and make it just like a parental check if specific "terms" can be seen with a password extra to change em like the Nintendo parental control thing and with over 15y terms of service medal still being denied FSK18 content is kinda dumb ok it has some positives like less NSFW shovelware appearing but for that in excange having Asset Flips coming back in mass is not what i pref rather have some weird puzzle game with some naughty artworks then a freaking asset flip .
since its only about an age check that is the issue.

[Brian9824]

つかさ の投稿を引用：

The issue is it is a joke at all usual real freaking porn sites have the same type of age verification or less its the usual are u 18 yes no ok have fun ♥♥♥♥ but why disallow games or block em at all
also games that can be patched to 18+ with a patch from an external source are all still on steam amusingly and come on age verification is ok if they would create an option to show such stuff and make it just like a parental check if specific "terms" can be seen with a password extra to change em like the Nintendo parental control thing and with over 15y terms of service medal still being denied FSK18 content is kinda dumb ok it has some positives like less NSFW shovelware appearing but for that in excange having Asset Flips coming back in mass is not what i pref rather have some weird puzzle game with some naughty artworks then a freaking asset flip .
since its only about an age check that is the issue.

Apparently germany has stronger rules then that, so blame the stronger rules.

[つかさ]

brian9824 の投稿を引用：

つかさ の投稿を引用：

The issue is it is a joke at all usual real freaking porn sites have the same type of age verification or less its the usual are u 18 yes no ok have fun ♥♥♥♥ but why disallow games or block em at all
also games that can be patched to 18+ with a patch from an external source are all still on steam amusingly and come on age verification is ok if they would create an option to show such stuff and make it just like a parental check if specific "terms" can be seen with a password extra to change em like the Nintendo parental control thing and with over 15y terms of service medal still being denied FSK18 content is kinda dumb ok it has some positives like less NSFW shovelware appearing but for that in excange having Asset Flips coming back in mass is not what i pref rather have some weird puzzle game with some naughty artworks then a freaking asset flip .
since its only about an age check that is the issue.

Apparently germany has stronger rules then that, so blame the stronger rules.

tbh not really you can open any usual porn site without any great type of age verification needed so i can sadly NOPE that out big time since theen those sites would have problems as well and would need to act but NOPE

[nullable]

redsimonDE の投稿を引用：

There's an incentive, and a solution (as I said it has been implemented in online stores before).

Well I'm sure Valve has an idea how much they're making and where. If this is a significant revenue issue then they'll implement a solution, but in the meantime they still need to be in compliance so region blocking would be the temporary solution. But if it's not significant revenue on the line, region blocking might be the simple and cost effective solution to be in compliance.

You're free to make whatever arguments you want. Valve is free to operate as it sees fit within the laws. And Valve isn't always required to put your interests ahead of its own.

[nullable]

つかさ の投稿を引用：

brian9824 の投稿を引用：

Apparently germany has stronger rules then that, so blame the stronger rules.

tbh not really you can open any usual porn site without any great type of age verification needed so i can sadly NOPE that out big time since theen those sites would have problems as well and would need to act but NOPE

I think you might be confused when a website falls under German regulation. And when it doesn't.

[Brian9824]

Brockenstein の投稿を引用：

つかさ の投稿を引用：

tbh not really you can open any usual porn site without any great type of age verification needed so i can sadly NOPE that out big time since theen those sites would have problems as well and would need to act but NOPE

I think you might be confused when a website falls under German regulation. And when it doesn't.

Waits for people to google german porn now lol.

[LizardWizard]

brian9824 の投稿を引用：

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

.... Or just simply allow 'strong' age-verification.

This isn't rocket science. Find a business in Germany that can perform this type of verification, ask your users to provide verification from such a business, profit for both parties. It can be applied as an international solution.

It cannot be applied as an international solution as the requirements vary in every country as far as what needs to be provided and what's required. It's also not that simple, and if it involves stuff like saving government id on file then that also changes the rules that steam has to follow internationally for data security for instance.

It can, they just need to implement the restrictions that would be required throughout different countries. That's basically how most services get by. If Steam wants to get into the pornographic industry, it has to do the same for it.

brian9824 の投稿を引用：

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

This is more Steam's fault, as its the one who decided to include adult content into the store. Other game stores, even online ones, haven't had any problem keeping it out.

Steam hasn't had any problem keeping it out either, as the OP pointed out all the adult content is now out of the german store. Problem solved.

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

Even if they don't address the German laws, they will inevitably have to address it the next time it pops up internationally in another country. Adult only laws or taboos aren't going away.

Yep, same solution, just filter it out of the store like they did with Germany and just like all the other game stores you mention do.

The content is still within the store available for international users, it's just not accessible to German users. I doubt they consider it a solution, and complaints will rise when they inevitably have to do the same in other countries. Even the US is moving to implement consent based pornographic restrictions. If it's a problem, is it just going to remove it on their accounts as well? What about games that have been already bought? What about people in Germany who use VPNs to try to access that content, but who's location can be determined from their billing payment?

I mean, yeah, it's a solution, but it's a can of worms.

[LizardWizard]

Deal with it の投稿を引用：

Nazis...

No, that's Wolfenstein, which isn't pornographic content.

[Brian9824]

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

It can, they just need to implement the restrictions that would be required throughout different countries. That's basically how most services get by. If Steam wants to get into the pornographic industry, it has to do the same for it.

Apparently they decided its more cost effective to just block it. If they don't sell many adult games to German users that is a reasonable option for them.

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

The content is still within the store available for international users, it's just not accessible to German users.

Yep and that solution works. Everyone else is free to buy it, and they can't in Germany where its not allowed with more work. Solution works perfectly.

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

I doubt they consider it a solution, and complaints will rise when they inevitably have to do the same in other countries. Even the US is moving to implement consent based pornographic restrictions. If it's a problem, is it just going to remove it on their accounts as well?

If the solution costs more then the revenue derived from it then yes, they will probably just block it. That's how businesses work.

LizardMizard の投稿を引用：

What about games that have been already bought? What about people in Germany who use VPNs to try to access that content, but who's location can be determined from their billing payment?

I mean, yeah, it's a solution, but it's a can of worms.

The laws are about the SALE of adult materials, so it has no impact on anyone playing items they already bought. Using VPN's to circumvent region restrictions are already part of their rules and they have taken reasonable steps to stop that. Same way its not a sites fault if someone uses someone elses ID to shop for adult items.

People will always try to circumvent the laws, and as long as stores have taken reasonable steps they can't be liable.

[⎛⎝Z⎠⎞]

so waht VPN work for a real UNCUT steam?!?!
and btw. in germany/EU we have 2 sites who use the passport nummbers for say "yes you are 18+" and this sites have no problems any more with .. erotik art and more.

soooo i see who this all will go.
all in the world will use a VPN for the ONLY one Land in the World who have real UNCUT and all can be found.
so the world ist on the way to hell with all the ♥♥♥♥ and waht is making the last time?
all P. sites change her things. steam make new ♥♥♥♥.
and more but nothing help the world!
great.

so who in the world will be the new Fake server for the Uncut P. sites?