A petition campaign against content censorship on the Steleam platform is gaining support. On July 16, Steam updated its publisher rules and added new terms to allow some third-party companies to participate in content supervision. This move triggered a strong backlash from the player community, and the number of signatures has exceeded 10,000.
According to Steam's new rules, game publishers need to ensure that their works do not violate the payment processor's terms. This means creators not only have to abide by platform rules, but are also subject to potential censorship from companies like Mastercard, Visa and PayPal.
After the new regulations were implemented, dozens of games were removed from the shelves. Players immediately launched a petition asking Valve to revoke the policy adjustment. The petition currently raises four core demands:
1. Stop censoring legal adult content
2. Protect creators’ right to free expression
3. Improve the transparency of platform restrictions and terms
4. Limit the influence of radical organizations on gaming platforms.
As of press time, the number of signatures has exceeded 10,000.
The "influence of radical organizations" mentioned in the petition clearly points to "Collective Shout", a non-profit organization that claims to promote Steam policy changes. After Steam removed a number of adult games, the organization's co-founder Melinda Tankard Reist claimed on social platforms that the move stemmed from their accusations that Steam payment providers profited from violent content. She called the removal a "major victory" and expressed support for the new rules.
Reist also claimed that members of the organization are experiencing online violence, and Australian women participating in the event have been threatened and harassed by players who oppose Steam's new policy. It's unclear whether these conflicts are directly related to the anti-censorship petition, but it's worth noting that Rest's post came just two days after the petition named Collective Shout.
Currently, mainstream gaming platforms seem to be tightening their control over adult content. Nintendo has updated its guidelines to filter spam, and PlayStation is also cleaning up low-quality AI-generated works. Under this trend, the possibility of Steam revoking the new regulations is low. It remains to be seen whether this player voluntary movement can change Valve’s policy direction on adult content.
