[Suggestion] Way to claim abandoned Steam Groups

[Sand]

Looking at certain Steam Groups there are some with only a few members or even as low as one member. Sometimes that one member has not been active for years. It would be nice to have a way of claiming these groups, that have been inactive for more than a certain amount of days/years. I understand the idea that their owners might come back to Steam one day and wish to still have ownership of that group, with that name, abbreviation and URL. On the other hand, there are all these accounts that have been inactive for years, being highly likely that they completly gave up on using Steam, or maybe, occasionally, their owner has passed away. In some cases it is impossible to get in touch with the owners and ask for the group, because they simply do not use Steam anymore. So, once again, I would really like to see a way of being able to claim these groups with inactive members.

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Tricky:

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

And what makes you think you have the right to take something that is not yours from someone else without their consent?

The group doesn't belong to the admin/mod. It belongs to the community.

Actually It belongs to the admin. They create it, they manage it, they can delete it. It's theirs.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Tricky:

The group doesn't belong to the admin/mod. It belongs to the community.

It belongs to whoever made the group.

Originally posted by Tricky:

On Reddit

This is not reddit.

Originally posted by Tricky:

Likewise, if a Steam group only has one or two admins/mods and neither have been active for years, then someone should be able to claim the Steam group.

We don't do that here. People take vacations, they take breaks from Steam. Even if they haven't been on in ages, that group belongs to who made it, not a chance for random people to take over.

Originally posted by Tricky:

In fact, it is beneficial to have a system like this because it allows new admins/mods to step up and make sure a community is following Steam's community guidelines. Lest the group be removed altogether because members were breaking Steam's policies

Again, this isn't reddit. Also, unlike reddit, the actions done by people are on those people not the entire group. There is no "a few are causing problems shutdown it all" which is an absurd thing reddit tends to do, to groups they usually personally dislike. You get rid of the problem, not the whole area.

Originally posted by Tricky:

then users can still contact the mods asking for an exchange of ownership--avoiding a situation of "imminent domain" by Reddit Admins.

In most realistic scenarios, ownership changes when someone gives someone else ownership of something. Something being inactive doesn't give some sort of magical right to take something from someone else, even if it's inactive.

[ToothpasteMain]

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Originally posted by Tricky:

Originally posted by Tricky:

In fact, it is beneficial to have a system like this because it allows new admins/mods to step up and make sure a community is following Steam's community guidelines. Lest the group be removed altogether because members were breaking Steam's policies

Also, unlike reddit, the actions done by people are on those people not the entire group. There is no "a few are causing problems shutdown it all"

You are correct that a group should not be taken down because of the likes of a few users, but a community should also follow Steam's community guidelines. And if there is nobody to govern the group, then who is going to? Steam's auto-mod only goes so far.

Believe it or not, there is currently no requirement in Steam's community guildlines and Community Documentation for the operators of a group to follow the guidelines. Therefore, it technically "okay" for a group to host inappropriate content at no fault to the operators. That is bad for Valve's PR with advertisers. Tumblr, PH, and YouTube all faced this problem at one point. With how Steam groups are currently handled, Steam also faces this challenge.

Going back to my quoted statement: in order to continue fostering a healthy community within Steam, players should be allowed to claim abandoned groups (even if it is not technically required for a groups operators to do so)

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Tricky:

You are correct that a group should not be taken down because of the likes of a few users, but a community should also follow Steam's community guidelines.

The community guidelines apply to users per what the users themselves do, not as a group. Don't let the word "community" cloud your view of things or be too literal.

Misbehaving people are historically dealt with.

Originally posted by Tricky:

And if there is nobody to govern the group, then who is going to? Steam's auto-mod only goes so far.

Then it is dead and that is that, the end.
We don't do the certain political side belief of if someone does not use something, someone else can come along and steal it.

Originally posted by Tricky:

Therefore, it technically "okay" for a group to host inappropriate content at no fault to the operators.

Any actionable content is able to have action taken on it especially if reported, group or not. active or not. Actionable material is in itself, not ok.

Originally posted by Tricky:

That is bad for Valve's PR with advertisers.

No it isn't. Groups don't affect anything outside of groups, they're separate from basically everything.

Notice how when you use the client, there are no advertisers. Just products on the store, forums have forum threads&posts, groups have their own corner.

Originally posted by Tricky:

Tumblr, PH, and YouTube all faced this problem at one point.

Steam is not those places. They know how not to fail, and they're not controlled by the same type of people that would obliterate Steams existence.

Originally posted by Tricky:

Going back to my quoted statement: new admins/mods/operators should be allowed to claim an abandoned group to make sure the group continues to follow Steam's Community Guidelines (even if it isn't technically required by the group's operators to follow such guidelines)

No. It belongs to the owner. Problem people & content can be dealt with by moderation. There's automatic, and there's people.

This. Is. Not. Reddit.

[ToothpasteMain]

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Originally posted by Tricky:

Therefore, it technically "okay" for a group to host inappropriate content at no fault to the operators.

Any actionable content is able to have action taken on it especially if reported, group or not. active or not. Actionable material is in itself, not ok.

Yes, but who will govern if the auto-mod doesn't catch it?

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Originally posted by Tricky:

That is bad for Valve's PR with advertisers.

No it isn't. Groups don't affect anything outside of groups, they're separate from basically everything.

Notice how when you use the client, there are no advertisers. Just products on the store, forums have forum threads&posts, groups have their own corner.

• The content may be contained within a group, however, it is hosted on the Steam platform and servers
  
• While Steam does not have any active "advertisers" per se, Visa and Mastercard can change their participation with Steam if they find the content on the site does not meet their agreement (e.g PH)
  
• Developers also do not necessarily count as "advertisers", however, their participation in using the platform carries the weight that they endorse it (e.g. Tumblr)

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Tricky:

Yes, but who will govern if the auto-mod doesn't catch it?

Anyone that reports, it.
Else, not really your concern.

Originally posted by Tricky:

The content may be contained within a group, however, it is hosted on the Steam platform and servers

Not really your concern, though.
Actionable material may be removed when reported. People abusing the systems, receive increased or permanent punishments.

Originally posted by Tricky:

While Steam does not have any active "advertisers" per se, Visa and Mastercard can change their participation with Steam if they find the content on the site does not meet their agreement (e.g PH)

Whats in groups is not a part of that and they're not going to remove a guaranteed cash cow.

Originally posted by Tricky:

Developers also do not necessarily count as "advertisers", however, their participation in using the platform carries the weight that they endorse it (e.g. Tumblr)

This, isn't, Tumblr. Or yt. Or reddit. Steam has no advertisers. People come here to sell stuff they're not concerned with groups or even other games. They want sales. Sales is money. Sales happens on the store. Not forums. Not groups.

Stop treating Steam like those other awful places. You're not going to be given old groups. If there's problem material report it and move on, that's what moderation tends to tell people

[Judgmental Amaterasu]

Originally posted by Tricky:

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

You are correct that a group should not be taken down because of the likes of a few users, but a community should also follow Steam's community guidelines. And if there is nobody to govern the group, then who is going to? Steam's auto-mod only goes so far.

Believe it or not, there is currently no requirement in Steam's community guildlines and Community Documentation for the operators of a group to follow the guidelines. Therefore, it technically "okay" for a group to host inappropriate content at no fault to the operators. That is bad for Valve's PR with advertisers. Tumblr, PH, and YouTube all faced this problem at one point. With how Steam groups are currently handled, Steam also faces this challenge.

Going back to my quoted statement: in order to continue fostering a healthy community within Steam, players should be allowed to claim abandoned groups (even if it is not technically required for a groups operators to do so)

And once again the CoMmUnItY did not create the Steam group thus no one other than the creator has a claim on anything.

Screech loudly about reddit like things isn't going to turn this into reddit.

[zaphodikus]

True idea. I've created a group. If I choose to delete the entire group, then that is my choice. I have to deal with the fallout that members may create as a result. That is my problem as group admin, modeling on the real world is just that, a "model". It's not a thing I would want to do, but the idea that I can delete the group I created makes perfect sense. It sux I know, but it makes sense.