First reason is API call limit. We have a daily cap that we can't exceed, and doing API calls just to check whether an inventory is public or not is a waste. We have +800k users.

Second, people would easily abuse this by changing their settings on and off.

Lastly, this is an offense that accumulates over time. If one does this multiple times then they won't get unbanned.

Originally posted by Blue Screen of Dea†h:

First reason is API call limit. We have a daily cap that we can't exceed, and doing API calls just to check whether an inventory is public or not is a waste. We have +800k users.

Second, people would easily abuse this by changing their settings on and off.

Lastly, this is an offense that accumulates over time. If one does this multiple times then they won't get unbanned.

Have to mention though, no one from TF2Outpost's side has never told to people why private backpacks are not allowed. It is just written in to rules. There is usually a reason why someone has private backpack or a profile, but I'm not going further with that.

Thanks for the answer, though. But it seems ridiculous how long you have to wait just because of having one of your Steam settings set incorrectly.

My main question for now is that.. it is my first time getting officially banned because of a private backpack. I've changed everything to public like 1 month ago and appealed the ban about 3 weeks ago, should I get unbanned?
I'm little bit worried about my status actually, because TF2Outpost doesn't even seem to react to any of my ban appeals. Or there might be just some congestion.

Originally posted by Rox:

Have to mention though, no one from TF2Outpost's side has never told to people why private backpacks are not allowed. It is just written in to rules. There is usually a reason why someone has private backpack or a profile, but I'm not going further with that.

This is done by many trading websites, and should be public knowledge to anyone involved in the trading community. Besides breaking the site's tools/pages, it hides item information from the public and prevents account background checks for expensive item trades. No experienced trader will trade with someone with a private profile unless they don't care about the implications. Main Rule #10:

You are accountable for any trades you make with users that have a private profile. You should be taking as many measures as possible to prevent hijackers and scammers from profiting from their bad deeds, and private profiles are usually a red flag.

Originally posted by Rox:

My main question for now is that.. it is my first time getting officially banned because of a private backpack. I've changed everything to public like 1 month ago and appealed the ban about 3 weeks ago, should I get unbanned?
I'm little bit worried about my status actually, because TF2Outpost doesn't even seem to react to any of my ban appeals. Or there might be just some congestion.

The admin in charge of the appeal was away for a week. As this is voluntary work, individual hiccups may happen and we also have to deal with thousands of tickets every week.

Originally posted by Blue Screen of Dea†h:

Originally posted by Rox:

Have to mention though, no one from TF2Outpost's side has never told to people why private backpacks are not allowed. It is just written in to rules. There is usually a reason why someone has private backpack or a profile, but I'm not going further with that.

This is done by many trading websites, and should be public knowledge to anyone involved in the trading community. Besides breaking the site's tools/pages, it hides item information from the public and prevents account background checks for expensive item trades. No experienced trader will trade with someone with a private profile unless they don't care about the implications. Main Rule #10:

Isn't private backpack more like a minus for a trader? You just said there, that traders won't trade someone with private backpack. So any smart trader would put it to public obviously, to get more people to trade, no matter is 'public' setting forced or not.

When it comes to public profile/backpack, and you're going to buy something with real money from the guy with a private profile/backpack, you're stupid if you go and do that. It's not a reason to make public settings forced if someone is that stupid. Also public profiles can scam, too.

Also what TF2Outpost has said, you're not allowed to do real-world cash trades if you haven't been around for 2+ years & have +20 Steam games. It is impossible to check when you have it on private, so real-cash trading is what should be punishable, not the private backpack or profile.

When it is a Steam trade, scamming is not technically possible. No matter is it private or public profile or backpack, it doesn't make it possible.

And the comment to the breaking tools/pages. That is something that is caused by the coders of service and they should be even little bit responsible of fixing these things. But basic laziness seems to win the war.

If private settings is a minor for a trader, why should we allow it on a trading website?

Like I said, it breaks some of our tools, it hides item information and is frowned upon by the community. There is no valid reason to allow them on a trading website.

We will not change this rule.