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The nubinator 26 Jun @ 3:53pm
Fighting Steamwide-Community-bans and their lack of transparency as they result from Game Hub Bans
I'd just like to gauge the general interest here, affliction rates and any advice I could get in terms of legal assistance or if someone here would like to collaborate with me on this project in the future.


The avenue of attack I have in mind would be the European Digital Rights Act that enhances protections of users of online spaces by protecting their civil liberties online and forcing online spaces to be transparent in their moderation practices. But I'm interested in hearing any other options. For example Digital Services Act (DSA) allows you to complain directly through certain organizations for your suspension of services (https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/dsa-out-court-dispute-settlement)

There's also a third option: https://www.appealscentre.eu
It's the most straightorward one but it only covers Facebook, Twitter/X and TikTok right now.

___


Steam can completely lock accounts of users disabling their abilities to communicate with most other users, add friends, trade, chat in group chats, in forums, ask for support and essentially participate in the online space for all the games that they own if you get "multiple bans in individual steam communities/hubs".

My own usecase below.


I myself had a total steam wide ban and thus I was robbed of the full use of interacting with my games as their communities are integral to their function over two steam-hub bans.

One was a hub ban for 1 day for spam for testing a function I was discussing privately in Steam-support (posting two threads in a row, to see if Im subscribed to them or not) after being advised by steam support to click a certain option.

The second was a 4 day ban from a hub for calling a member of it a loser shill for posting in every single thread for 6 months without pause defending the developers in all instances and constantly using logical fallacies like red herrings to make fun of people.

The bans themselves are not the issue (even though the first one is fundamentally flawed), it's that these two bans led to a full steam wide ban. When asking the steam support to list what bans contributed to my "multiple violations that forced them to take action" they refused to provide clarity.

Several months after the steam wide ban explained above I now just received a hub--ban as I'm upset over and trying to dirsupt some censorship regarding a companies ignorance of how players gain unfair advantages within its game. I'm fine with the ban, a company should (maybe) be able to police its own limited space. Censorship can backfire, it's a form of gamble. But it is the steam-wide-ban that I fear and that thus puts my activity as a casual gamer-rights-activist in question.

Do you dare to push the limits, even occassionally, if so few bans can lead to a total disruption of your services. Multiples of games and communities where you have no offenses?

This becomes a crucial question for companies that are large online spaces that transcend the boundaries of what a single developer and their space ever could influence in the past.

You may or may not agree with my latest post, its there publicly available still. But I hope you agree that a one month suspension from one local community shouldn't put me or you 50% closer to a total suspension over all steam services.

This arbitrary limit that seems different depending on who you are, what you are talking about, perhaps how many bans you have in the past or what standing your account is in is in direct contradiction with the law and of anyone who values transparency. And that is what I would like to fight it on.

_________

What are your views?

Have you experienced this or know someone who has?

Would you like to collaborate with me on it? Of course any advice is very much appreciated. As our lives move (sadly IMO) more and more into the online space, this space becomes the new battleground for our rights. Ultimately we must speak up for each other even when we disagree.

Divided we fall united we stand.

Cheers!
Last edited by The nubinator; 26 Jun @ 9:21pm
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Showing 1-3 of 3 comments
The nubinator 26 Jun @ 5:18pm 
Do check the sister thread here and share it with your friends or anyone you know that has experienced issues with developers banning for critique, opposing views, accusations of unfairness or arbitrary punishments.


https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/discussions/forum/7/601908339340765493/
#1
Obey the Fist! 26 Jun @ 5:31pm 
The problem is perhaps not about community bans themselves, while some developers certainly are toxic, a lot of gamers are far from angels, too, and those bans prevent toxic gamers from crapping up the place. That always remains a problem that needs a solution.

I think the most obvious solution would be for Valve to spend a few dollars out of the billions they make every year moderating forums instead of letting gamer-hostile, completely biased and partial developers manage their own forums.

They're saving a few bucks but allowing toxic developers to inflict harm on gamers.
Last edited by Obey the Fist!; 26 Jun @ 5:33pm
#2
The nubinator 26 Jun @ 5:43pm 
Originally posted by Obey the Fist!:
The problem is perhaps not about community bans themselves, while some developers certainly are toxic, a lot of gamers are far from angels, too, and those bans prevent toxic gamers from crapping up the place. That always remains a problem that needs a solution.

I think the most obvious solution would be for Valve to spend a few dollars out of the billions they make every year moderating forums instead of letting gamer-hostile, completely biased and partial developers manage their own forums.

They're saving a few bucks but allowing toxic developers to inflict harm on gamers.


The problem from a legal standpoint is the dichotomy between the fact that game developers have free reign on their forums, regardless if its the players that are toxic, the developers that are toxic or a conflict that's wider than the two taking place. This then can be used an excuse to issue Steam Wide Bans that limit all community interactions of the user. So regardless of the hub, who is at fault or how minor or serious the issue was it affects something far bigger.

I do not know if your solution is right. Because maybe we want developers to have this power. Some small developer might have a hard time dealing with an issue outside of their control. Creating a safe space that protects their assets is then understandable, for example. Even if not ideal. But its not something that should affect any participating user wider.

Its also an issue that the way it affects users and the way these Steamwide Community Bans are applied is automated, untransparent and possibly illegal for that reason according to the new EU laws governing digital spaces.

I like your post because in a perfect world it would be my solution too. But Steam is too big and some players are too small.
Last edited by The nubinator; 27 Jun @ 8:33am
#3
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