Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Cambridge Analytica Scandal

2025-10-12T03:51:02Z

AnOddFellow: Fixed alphabetical order in Background

''The Cambridge Analytica Scandal'' involved the unauthorized harvesting of personal data from millions of Facebook users, which was then used for psychographic profiling and targeted political advertising.

==Background==
:The scandal involved Facebook (Meta), Global Science Research (GSR), and Cambridge Analytica (Analytica). It exposed vulnerabilities in social media platforms, the misuse of personal data for political gain, and the lack of regulatory safeguards.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|+Key individuals and companies involved
|-
!Name
!Role
|-
|Aleksandr Kogan
|Developed the data-harvesting app and violated Facebook’s terms by sharing data with Analytica.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=10 Apr 2018 |title=Facebook-Cambridge Analytica: A timeline of the data hijacking scandal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/10/facebook-cambridge-analytica-a-timeline-of-the-data-hijacking-scandal.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref>
|-
|Alexander Nix
|CEO of CA suspended after boasting of unethical tactics in undercover footage.<ref name=":3" />
|-
|Cambridge Analytica
|Used illicitly obtained data for political micro-targeting in U.S. campaign and accused of the same in the UK campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Rosalie |date=5 Oct 2019 |title=The Cambridge Analytica whistleblower explains how the firm used Facebook data to sway elections |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-whistleblower-christopher-wylie-facebook-data-2019-10 |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>
|-
|Christopher Wylie
|Whistleblower who exposed the misuse of data by Analytica.<ref name=":2" />
|-
|Facebook (Meta)
|Failed to protect user data and allowed third-party apps excessive access via APIs.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=21 Mar 2018 |title=Here’s everything you need to know about the Cambridge Analytica scandal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/facebook-cambridge-analytica-scandal-everything-you-need-to-know.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref>
|-
|Global Science Research
|Alexsandr Kogan's company.
|-
|}

==Data theft==
===Harvesting===
:In 2013 Aleksandr Kogan, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, developed a Facebook app, ''This Is Your Digital Life'', under his company, GSR.<ref name=":2" /> The app was presented as a personality quiz and paid users to take psychological surveys. It collected their Facebook data including their friends' information due to Facebook’s permissive API policies at the time. 270,000 users directly took the quiz, accessing an estimated 87 million profiles because of Facebook’s Open Graph platform.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 30, 2020 |title=Facebook data privacy scandal: A cheat sheet |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/facebook-data-privacy-scandal-a-cheat-sheet/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |work=TechRepublic}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Cadwalladr |first=Carole |last2=Graham-Harrison |first2=Emma |date=March 17, 2018 |title=Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> The collected data included likes, location, birth dates, friend networks, some users' private messages, and mostly affected user's that had not used the personality quiz .<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cambridge Analytica |url=https://dig.watch/trends/cambridge-analytica |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=dig.watch}}</ref>

===Data transferred===
:Kogan violated Facebook’s terms by sharing the data with Analytica, a political consulting firm co-founded by Republican donor [[wikipedia:Robert_Mercer|Robert Mercer]] and led by CEO [[wikipedia:Alexander_Nix|Alexander Nix]]. Attempting to predict and influence voter behavior, Analytica used the data to build psychographic profiles based on the ''Openness Conscientious Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism'' (OCEAN) model.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Fernando |first=Jason |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Cambridge Analytica: Overview, History, and Examples |url=https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cambridge-analytica.asp |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=investopedia}}</ref>

===Whistleblower revelations===
:In March 2018, former Analytica employee Christopher Wylie exposed the scandal through ''The Guardian'' and ''The New York Times'', revealing that Facebook had known about the breach since 2015 but failed to notify affected users or enforce data deletion.<ref name=":0" />

===Political applications===
*Ted Cruz’s 2016 Presidential Campaign: Analytica was hired to micro-target voters with tailored ads.<ref name=":1" />
*Donald Trump’s 2016 Campaign: The psychographic models allegedly helped the Trump campaign identify and persuade swing voters. Although former staffer Brad Parscale had ties to Analytica, the campaign denied knowingly using improperly obtained data.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Overly |first=Steven |date=March 17, 2018 |title=Report: Trump-linked firm exploited data on 50 million Facebook users |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/17/facebook-trump-campaign-data-cambridge-analytica-423599 |work=Politico}}</ref>
*Brexit Referendum (2016): Analytica was linked to the pro-Brexit group, Leave EU, though investigations later found no direct evidence of significant involvement.

==Responses==
*Facebook dismissed the incident as a violation of terms rather than a data breach claiming that "Mr. Korgan misled us all."<ref name=":4" />
*Analytica claimed it was not aware that the data from GSR violated Facebook's terms of service and deleted it after insistence from Facebook.<ref name=":4" />

==Outcome==
*[[Mark Zuckerberg]] testified before the U.S. Congress in April 2018, acknowledging lapses in oversight.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Domonoske |first=Camilla |date=April 10, 2018 |title=Mark Zuckerberg Tells Congress: Election Security is an Arm's Race |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/10/599808766/i-m-responsible-for-what-happens-at-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-will-tell-senate |website=NPR}}</ref>
*Facebook faced a $5 billion FTC fine in 2019 for privacy violations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2019 |title=FTC Imposes $5 Billion Penalty and Sweeping New Privacy Restrictions on Facebook |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2019/07/ftc-imposes-5-billion-penalty-sweeping-new-privacy-restrictions-facebook |website=FTC}}</ref>
*Alexander Nix was suspended after uncovered footage surface.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2018 |title=Cambridge Analytica: Facebook row firm boss suspended |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43480048 |website=BBC}}</ref>
*Cambridge Analytica filed for bankruptcy in May 2018 amid investigations.
*The E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was strengthened in response.
*The DOJ opened multiple investigations, but no charges were filed.
*U.S. lawmakers proposed stricter social media regulations, though no comprehensive federal law was passed.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Meta]]

Cambridge Analytica Scandal

2025-10-12T03:50:32Z

AnOddFellow: Improved spelling and grammar in a few places

''The Cambridge Analytica Scandal'' involved the unauthorized harvesting of personal data from millions of Facebook users, which was then used for psychographic profiling and targeted political advertising.

==Background==
:The scandal involved Facebook (Meta), Global Science Research (GSR), and Cambridge Analytica (Analytica). It exposed vulnerabilities in social media platforms, the misuse of personal data for political gain, and the lack of regulatory safeguards.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|+Key individuals and companies involved
|-
!Name
!Role
|-
|Aleksandr Kogan
|Developed the data-harvesting app and violated Facebook’s terms by sharing data with Analytica.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=10 Apr 2018 |title=Facebook-Cambridge Analytica: A timeline of the data hijacking scandal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/10/facebook-cambridge-analytica-a-timeline-of-the-data-hijacking-scandal.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref>
|-
|Alexander Nix
|CEO of CA suspended after boasting of unethical tactics in undercover footage.<ref name=":3" />
|-
|Cambridge Analytica
|Used illicitly obtained data for political micro-targeting in U.S. campaign and accused of the same in the UK campaign.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Rosalie |date=5 Oct 2019 |title=The Cambridge Analytica whistleblower explains how the firm used Facebook data to sway elections |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-whistleblower-christopher-wylie-facebook-data-2019-10 |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=Business Insider}}</ref>
|-
|Christopher Wylie
|Whistleblower who exposed the misuse of data by Analytica.<ref name=":2" />
|-
|Global Science Research
|Alexsandr Kogan's company.
|-
|Facebook (Meta)
|Failed to protect user data and allowed third-party apps excessive access via APIs.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=21 Mar 2018 |title=Here’s everything you need to know about the Cambridge Analytica scandal |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/facebook-cambridge-analytica-scandal-everything-you-need-to-know.html |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=CNBC}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Data theft==
===Harvesting===
:In 2013 Aleksandr Kogan, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, developed a Facebook app, ''This Is Your Digital Life'', under his company, GSR.<ref name=":2" /> The app was presented as a personality quiz and paid users to take psychological surveys. It collected their Facebook data including their friends' information due to Facebook’s permissive API policies at the time. 270,000 users directly took the quiz, accessing an estimated 87 million profiles because of Facebook’s Open Graph platform.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 30, 2020 |title=Facebook data privacy scandal: A cheat sheet |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/facebook-data-privacy-scandal-a-cheat-sheet/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |work=TechRepublic}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Cadwalladr |first=Carole |last2=Graham-Harrison |first2=Emma |date=March 17, 2018 |title=Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> The collected data included likes, location, birth dates, friend networks, some users' private messages, and mostly affected user's that had not used the personality quiz .<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cambridge Analytica |url=https://dig.watch/trends/cambridge-analytica |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=dig.watch}}</ref>

===Data transferred===
:Kogan violated Facebook’s terms by sharing the data with Analytica, a political consulting firm co-founded by Republican donor [[wikipedia:Robert_Mercer|Robert Mercer]] and led by CEO [[wikipedia:Alexander_Nix|Alexander Nix]]. Attempting to predict and influence voter behavior, Analytica used the data to build psychographic profiles based on the ''Openness Conscientious Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism'' (OCEAN) model.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Fernando |first=Jason |date=January 28, 2025 |title=Cambridge Analytica: Overview, History, and Examples |url=https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cambridge-analytica.asp |url-status=live |access-date=25 Jun 2025 |website=investopedia}}</ref>

===Whistleblower revelations===
:In March 2018, former Analytica employee Christopher Wylie exposed the scandal through ''The Guardian'' and ''The New York Times'', revealing that Facebook had known about the breach since 2015 but failed to notify affected users or enforce data deletion.<ref name=":0" />

===Political applications===
*Ted Cruz’s 2016 Presidential Campaign: Analytica was hired to micro-target voters with tailored ads.<ref name=":1" />
*Donald Trump’s 2016 Campaign: The psychographic models allegedly helped the Trump campaign identify and persuade swing voters. Although former staffer Brad Parscale had ties to Analytica, the campaign denied knowingly using improperly obtained data.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Overly |first=Steven |date=March 17, 2018 |title=Report: Trump-linked firm exploited data on 50 million Facebook users |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/17/facebook-trump-campaign-data-cambridge-analytica-423599 |work=Politico}}</ref>
*Brexit Referendum (2016): Analytica was linked to the pro-Brexit group, Leave EU, though investigations later found no direct evidence of significant involvement.

==Responses==
*Facebook dismissed the incident as a violation of terms rather than a data breach claiming that "Mr. Korgan misled us all."<ref name=":4" />
*Analytica claimed it was not aware that the data from GSR violated Facebook's terms of service and deleted it after insistence from Facebook.<ref name=":4" />

==Outcome==
*[[Mark Zuckerberg]] testified before the U.S. Congress in April 2018, acknowledging lapses in oversight.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Domonoske |first=Camilla |date=April 10, 2018 |title=Mark Zuckerberg Tells Congress: Election Security is an Arm's Race |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/10/599808766/i-m-responsible-for-what-happens-at-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-will-tell-senate |website=NPR}}</ref>
*Facebook faced a $5 billion FTC fine in 2019 for privacy violations.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2019 |title=FTC Imposes $5 Billion Penalty and Sweeping New Privacy Restrictions on Facebook |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2019/07/ftc-imposes-5-billion-penalty-sweeping-new-privacy-restrictions-facebook |website=FTC}}</ref>
*Alexander Nix was suspended after uncovered footage surface.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2018 |title=Cambridge Analytica: Facebook row firm boss suspended |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-43480048 |website=BBC}}</ref>
*Cambridge Analytica filed for bankruptcy in May 2018 amid investigations.
*The E.U.’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was strengthened in response.
*The DOJ opened multiple investigations, but no charges were filed.
*U.S. lawmakers proposed stricter social media regulations, though no comprehensive federal law was passed.

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Incidents]]
[[Category:Meta]]

Plex Media Server

2025-10-12T03:46:55Z

AnOddFellow: Corrected an in-line citation to go AFTER the punctuation.

{{ProductCargo
|ReleaseYear=2007
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Server, Client
|Website=https://plex.tv/
|Description=Plex Media Serer (PMS), originally a fork of XBMC, is a media server software with associated clients that allows users to host their own media.
|Logo=Plex_logo.svg}}

Plex Media Server is media server software, with associated clients, allowing users to host their own media server on their own hardware, in a Netflix-style interface. Originally forked from XBMC in 2007, the software allows users to specify their own existing media as source, such as movies, music, and photos. Plex is easily accessible on various clients across multiple platforms, including a web client that works on regular computers.

==Consumer impact summary==
For much of its existence, Plex has offered both a free and paid service. The paid service allowed for multiple users on the server, whereas the free service was only limited to one user. Up until April of 2025, both the paid and free tier of the server software allowed for users to access their media remotely (i.e. on a different network than their local/home one) on any client, assuming that the technical aspects had been configured correctly. However, many users were disappointed to find out that Plex revoked free access to the remote streaming function and then tried selling it back to them.

==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer protection incidents related to this product. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Revocation of free remote access (''April 2025'')===
In April 2025, an announcement was made<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 Mar 2025 |title=Important 2025 Plex Updates |url=https://www.plex.tv/blog/important-2025-plex-updates/ |archive-url=https://archive.is/zsSN1 |archive-date=15 Aug 2025 |access-date=15 Aug 2025}}</ref> noting various changes. Of note, remote access would no longer be a free feature, and would require a remote access pass subscription. In addition, prices of the existing Plex Pass were increased.

===Banning media servers hosted on Hetzner (''September 2023'')===
{{Main|Plex banning servers hosted on Hetzner}}
In September 2023, Plex sent out an email to all customers on Hetzner IP addresses, stating that "the IP address associated with a Plex Media Server on your account appears to come from a service provider that hosts a significant number of Plex Media Servers that violate our Terms of Service."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-14 |title=Anyone else get this Plex notice? : r/Plex |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/16iqwf4/anyone_else_get_this_plex_notice/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-08-15 |website=Reddit}}</ref> In this email, they announced that they were blocking Hetzner IP ranges, starting from October 12th.

==Consumer friendly alternatives==
[https://jellyfin.org/ Jellyfin]

==See also==

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

UK Online Safety Act

2025-08-30T22:51:18Z

AnOddFellow: Generally tried to clean up the grammar and tone of this article. NOT FINISHED, especially in the section on Theo Browne's video.

{{IncidentCargo
|StartDate=2023-10-26
|Status=Active
|Type=Digital restrictions
|Description=On 26 October 2023, the UK Online Safety Act passed and became law. This act restricts the freedom of UK users of the internet and increases censorship.
|ArticleType=Legislation}}

United Kingdom's [[wikipedia:Online Safety Act 2023|Online Safety Act 2023]] is a set of laws that claims to protect children and adults online.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=April 24, 2025 |title=Online Safety Act: explainer |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/online-safety-act-explainer/online-safety-act-explainer |website=Gov.uk}}</ref> The act applies to search services and services that allow users to post content online or to interact with each other ([https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50#section-4 Section 4]).

One of the duties of the act requires affected websites to implement their own solution for identity verification such that it is highly effective to prove one's age ([https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50#section-12-6 Section 12.6]). There is no official government-sanctioned identity verification platform. Each service provider must implement their own solution or find a third party solution to use to remain compliant. Another duty filters non-verified users from interacting with content made from an "adult user" ([https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50#section-15-10 Section 15.10])<ref name="rossmann:1">{{Cite web|date=August 1, 2025|last=Rossmann |first=Louis |title=Tea app & UK Online Safety Act - the world is becoming a black mirror episode :(| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNNsCuEvR5w&t=114 |ref=rossmann:1 |website=[[YouTube]] |access-date=August 25, 2025}}</ref>. These non-verified users will also be less visible, provided the adult user has toggled it.

While the press release says "the measures platforms have to put in place must confirm your age without collecting or storing personal data, unless absolutely necessary,"<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Kyle |first=Peter |date=2025-08-01 |title=Keeping children safe online: changes to the Online Safety Act explained |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/keeping-children-safe-online-changes-to-the-online-safety-act-explained |access-date=2025-08-16 |work=Gov.UK}}</ref> the legislation requires that companies track usage by specific people and provide data and/or remote access to Ofcom on demand ([https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50#section-100 Section 100]) <ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |date=2025-07-25 |title=Online Safety Act 2023 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50 |journal=UK Public General Acts |volume=2023 |issue=50}}</ref>
Enforcement of this act is done by the UK's Office of Communications (Ofcom). The penalty for breaking these rules is the greater of £18 million and 10% of the person’s qualifying worldwide revenue ([https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50#schedule-13-paragraph-4 Schedule 13.4]).<ref name=":1" />

==Background==
The Online Safety Act is a "Bill to make provision for and in connection with the regulation by Ofcom of certain internet services; for and in connection with communications offences; and for connected purposes."<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-19 |title=Online Safety Act 2023 |url=https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3137 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=UK Parliament: Parliamentary Bills}}</ref>

The Online Safety Act received royal assent on 26 October 2023, following five years of work by Carnegie UK, working in concert with over 50 partners. In 2018, Carnegie UK published a series of blogs by William Perrin and Professor Lorna Woods, outlining the proposal for social media regulation. The UK Government published its [https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/online-harms-white-paper White Paper] on 8 April 2019, tackling online harm, with a duty of care approach at its core. Carnegie UK ended their work on the Online Safety Act in October 2023.<ref name="online-safety-and-carnegie-uk">{{Cite web |last=Davidson |first=Sarah |date=26 October 2023 |title=Online safety and Carnegie UK |url=https://carnegieuk.org/blog/online-safety-and-carnegie-uk/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250701203854/https://carnegieuk.org/blog/online-safety-and-carnegie-uk/ |archive-date=2025-07-01 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=Carnegie UK}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Sim |first=Kate |date=August 7, 2025| title=The Online Safety Act Has Nothing to Do With Child Safety and Everything to Do With Censorship| url=https://novaramedia.com/2025/08/07/the-online-safety-act-has-nothing-to-do-with-child-safety-and-everything-to-do-with-censorship/ |website=Novara Media |access-date=August 25, 2025}}</ref>

The bill was sponsored by Michelle Donelan, the (now former) Conservative MP for Chippenham and Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, a current member of the House of Lords. Both on behalf of the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. <ref name=":4" />

The Online Safety Act is one act in two different stages. The original that reached royal assent on 26 October 2023 under Rishi Sunak's Conservative government, and the amended version in 2025, under Kier Starmer's Labour government. In February 2025, amendments related to making corporations more accountable for the content on their websites, as well as accountability for people accessing inappropriate content were brought to and voted on in parliament. The bill was changed again in May 2025 to include biometric face scans and government ID requirements, which was was not voted on in parliament.

[https://avpassociation.com/ Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA)] was formed in 2018 and is growing rapidly as the age and identity provider industry takes off. It represents all main technology suppliers who have invested in the development of age verification solutions to support the implementation of age restrictions online. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Age Verification Providers Association |url=https://avpassociation.com/}}</ref>

==The impact==
Since the UK Online Safety Act applies to search services and services that allow users to post content online or to interact with each other, <ref name=":2" /> it has a broad impact across the entire internet for those accessing websites from within the UK. All online services that Ofcom deems to be within the scope of the Online Safety Act must incorporate an identity verification process to determine each user's age.<ref name=":3" /> This has forced many websites to geo-block the UK because they are too small to justify or afford implementing their own the identity verification process or partnering with a third provider. A list of affected websites is available on [https://OnlineSafetyAct.co.uk OnlineSafetyAct.co.uk].

The broad range of the act has caused content from breaking news,<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Koopman |first=Saskia |date=August 13, 2025 |title=Why the Online Safety Act has become a political nightmare |url=https://www.cityam.com/why-labours-online-safety-act-has-become-a-political-nightmare/ |website=City AM |access-date=August 25, 2025}}</ref> war footages,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maiberg |first=Emanuel |date=July 29, 2025 |title=UK Users Need to Post Selfie or Photo ID to View Reddit's r/IsraelCrimes, r/UkraineWarFootage |url=https://www.404media.co/uk-users-need-to-post-selfie-or-photo-id-to-view-reddits-r-israelcrimes-r-ukrainewarfootage/ |website=404 Media |access-date=August 25, 2025}}</ref> and political videos<ref name=":6" /> to be heavily suppressed and labelled "harmful".

===Spotify===
To view age-restricted content on [[Spotify]], users in the UK are now asked for facial scanning; if that fails, only ID verification can correct the error.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cole |first=Samantha |title=Spotify Is Forcing Users to Undergo Face Scanning to Access Explicit Content |url=https://www.404media.co/spotify-uk-age-check-verification-yoti/ |access-date=3 August 2025 |work=404 Media |date=30 July 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250730160610/https://www.404media.co/spotify-uk-age-check-verification-yoti/ |archive-date=30 July 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===YouTube===
{{Main|Youtubes Requirement for Government ID}}
On July 30, 2025, [[YouTube]] responded by announcing its verification system, requesting users for either a government-issued ID, a photo, or credit card, in order to show that users are 18 and older. Age will be estimated through various information, including videos watched, and would lock users flagged below 18 unless they send one of aforementioned proofs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ingram |first=Michael |date=30 Jul 2025 |title=YouTube is Rolling Out A New Controversial Feature |url=https://gamerant.com/youtube-new-age-verification-feature-id-recognition/ |url-status=live |access-date=14 Aug 2025 |website=GameRant}}</ref>

===Wikipedia===
The [[Wikimedia Foundation]] (WMF) sued the United Kingdom to prevent them from forcing age checks on their websites. The WMF made a statement that being forced to comply with this act would compromise the privacy of its editors and the neutrality of the encyclopedia. On August 11, 2025, the London High Court denied the WMF's reasoning, but didn't necessarily force age checks for the website.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Castro |first=Chiara |date=August 12, 2025 |title=Case dismissed – Wikipedia loses UK Online Safety Act legal challenge, but it may still be safe from age checks |url=https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/case-dismissed-wikipedia-loses-uk-online-safety-act-legal-challenge-but-it-may-still-be-safe-from-age-checks}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=11 August 2025 |title=Wikimedia Foundation Challenges UK Online Safety Act Regulations |url=https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2025/08/11/wikimedia-foundation-challenges-uk-online-safety-act-regulations/}}</ref>

===4Chan===
4chan is a simple image-based bulletin board where anyone can post comments and share images.

====Ofcom's investigation====
On 14 April 2025, Ofcom issued a formal information notice to the provider of the service 4chan requesting a copy of the record of its Illegal Content Risk Assessment, as part of the [https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/enforcement-programme-to-monitor-if-services-meet-their-illegal-content-risk-assessment-and-record-keeping-duties-under-the-online-safety-act-2023 Risk Assessment Enforcement Programme]. At the date of opening this investigation, no response has been received to the information notice. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-13 |title=Investigation into 4chan and its compliance with duties to protect its users from illegal content |url=https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/investigation-into-4chan-and-its-compliance-with-duties-to-protect-its-users-from-illegal-content |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250615131417/https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/investigation-into-4chan-and-its-compliance-with-duties-to-protect-its-users-from-illegal-content |archive-date=2025-06-15 |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=Ofcom}}</ref>

On 10 June 2025, Ofcom opened an investigation into "the online discussion board" 4chan. The investigation will consider 4chan's compliance with its duties under the Online Safety Act 2023. Ofcom has powers under [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/50#section-102-8 section 102(8)] of the Act to require persons to respond to an information notice in the manner and form specified.

On 13 August 2025, Ofcom, in accordance with section 130 of the Online Safety Act 2023, issued 4chan Community Support LLC with a provisional notice of contravention, believing they had reasonable grounds for believing 4chan has contravened its duties under section 102(8) of the Act to comply (Ofcom.org appears to have blocked Archive.org from this and other pages sometime in July 2025).

====4chan's response====
Attorneys Preston Byrne and Ron Coleman, acting for 4chan, responded publicly to Ofcom’s provisional notice, which accuses the American company of failing to meet information notice requirements and possibly breaching duties related to content moderation.

The attorneys described the UK’s actions as an “illegal campaign of harassment” targeting American tech firms and warned that this extraterritorial enforcement of censorship law was incompatible with the First Amendment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Harper |first=Cindy |date=2025-08-18 |title=4chan Lawyers Fire Back as UK Tries to Censor from Across the Pond |url=https://reclaimthenet.org/us-lawyers-defend-4chan-against-uk-online-safety-act-enforcement |access-date=2025-08-18 |work=Reclaim the Net}}</ref>

Since enforcement began, the UK’s media regulator Ofcom has reportedly sent formal notices to several US tech companies, instructing them to comply or face penalties. These letters have ignited backlash among American lawmakers, many of whom argue that Britain has crossed a line by trying to dictate speech rules to American businesses and citizens. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, along with other members of Congress, has taken his concerns directly to British ministers, raising objections with Science Secretary Peter Kyle.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Frieth |first=Dan |date=2025-07-31 |title=The White House Puts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Notice Over UK’s Dangerous Online Censorship Laws |url=https://reclaimthenet.org/us-uk-clash-over-online-safety-act-free-speech |access-date=2025-08-18 |work=Reclaim the Internet}}</ref>

==Consumer response==
According to analysis by Cloudwards, [[Google]] searches for "how to get around age verification" and "is VPN legal in the UK" saw a massive growth of over 450 thousand and 380 thousand percent respectively.<ref name=":5" /> United Kingdom saw an increased VPN usage by 1400 percent.<ref name="UK_VPN">{{Cite web |last=Speed |first=Richard |date=July 28, 2025 |title=UK VPN demand soars after debut of Online Safety Act |url=https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/28/uk_vpn_demand_soars/ |access-date=August 15, 2025 |website=The Register}}</ref> As of August 16, 2025, there has been at least 500 thousand signatures petitioning to repeal the act.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Baynham |first=Alex |date=2025-04-22 |title=Repeal the Online Safety Act |url=https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/722903 |website=Petitions: UK Government and Parliament}}</ref>

===SafetyAct.co.uk===
[https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/in_memoriam/ OnlineSafetyAct.co.uk] is a website which was created in response to the Act's implementation and is operated by Neil Brown<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Neil |title=OnlineSafetyAct.co.uk |url=https://onlinesafetyact.co.uk/contact/ |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=OnlineSafetyAct.co.uk}}</ref>, a UK tech lawyer ([https://decoded.legal decoded.legal]).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Neil |title=Neil Brown (@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk) |url=https://mastodon.neilzone.co.uk/@neil |access-date=2025-08-16 |website=mastodon.neilzone.co.uk}}</ref> It lists all of the websites affected by the Online Safety Act, with the help of user submissions.

===Use Their ID===
[https://use-their-id.com/ Use Their ID.com] is a parody site that uses publicly available data about UK members of parliament to create AI-generated mock driving licences. They are clearly marked as satire and users are warned not to use them for anything real. <ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-07-28 |title=Use Their ID |url=https://use-their-id.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250730001620/https://use-their-id.com/ |archive-date=2025-07-30 |access-date=2025-08-17}}</ref>

==Industry expert response==
The act has been [https://www.internetsociety.org/resources/internet-fragmentation/uk-online-safety-act/ opposed] as early as December 2023 by Internet Society.

===Electronic Frontier Foundation===
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) posted an article entitled [https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-act-doesnt-make-children-safer-online No, the UK’s Online Safety Act Doesn’t Make Children Safer Online], and covers the threat to privacy of internet users and how the bill restricts free expression by arbitrating speech online, exposing users to algorithmic discrimination through face checks, and leaves millions of people without a personal device or form ID excluded from accessing the internet.

"The internet must remain a place where all voices can be heard, free from discrimination or censorship by government agencies. If the UK really wants to achieve its goal of being the safest place in the world to go online, it must lead the way in introducing policies that actually protect all users—including children—rather than pushing the enforcement of legislation that harms the very people it was meant to protect."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collings |first=Paige |date=2025-08-01 |title=No, the UK’s Online Safety Act Doesn’t Make Children Safer Online |url=https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-act-doesnt-make-children-safer-online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250812070622/https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-act-doesnt-make-children-safer-online |archive-date=2025-08-12 |access-date=2025-08-17 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref>

===Theo Browne, YouTuber & CEO at T3 Chat===
[[File:Online Safety Act- Offloading Responsibility. .png|thumb|Parents, government, platforms, identity providers]]Theo posted a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZozNjPcGw YouTube video] covering the Online Safety Act and how it going to destroy the free internet if the internet community doesn't stop it ASAP. He said it's rare that he gets that extreme about something like this, but believes that it is a really important thing that the community jump in front of.

The Online Safety Act will normalise providing your government-issued identification in order to see content, making everyone more susceptible and vulnerable to phishing attacks perpetrated by identity thieves. The act also shifts the responsibility of child safety to the government, who in turn shift it to the websites, who in turn shift it to a brand new identity and age verification industry.

==Government response==
Ofcom discouraged the promotion of VPNs.<ref name="UK_VPN" />

UK Parliament considers all petitions that get more than 100,000 signatures for debate. On 28 July 2025, when the petition to repeal the act had about 400,000 signatures, the government responded with this message: "The Government has no plans to repeal the Online Safety Act, and is working closely with Ofcom to implement the Act as quickly and effectively as possible to enable UK users to benefit from its protections.", only a few days after coming into force.<ref name=":0" /> This was only after three days (25 July 2025) the "highly effective age assurance" requirement came into force.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Department for Science, Innovation and Technology |date=2025-07-24 |title=Collection: Online Safety Act |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/online-safety-act |website=Gov.UK}}</ref>

The technology minister Peter Kyle said on Good Morning Britain, "if you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. Not those who want to keep children safe."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-07-29 |title=Peter Kyle Says 'Nigel Farage Is on the Side of Predators' |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-MaeOLISlA |access-date=2025-08-16 |work=Good Morning Britain, Youtube}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Legislation in Europe]]

Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam

2025-08-18T04:31:48Z

AnOddFellow: So it looks like those newline characters only appear in the editor. Apologies. I should have fixed what I got wrong the first time around.

{{OngoingEvent}}{{Incomplete}}

At an unknown date in 2025, [[Valve]] updated its Rules and Guidelines for developers on [[Steam]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Steamworks Documentation - Onboarding |url=https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/onboarding |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719092925/https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/onboarding |archive-date=Jul 19, 2025 |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Steamworks Documentation}}</ref> Within these rules, they granted [[wikt:Internet_service_provider|internet service providers]] (ISPs) and banks/transaction providers the power to delist games from their platform.<ref>{{Cite news |last=techopse |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Valve Submits to VISA and MasterCard's Moral Crusade, Escalating Censorship of "Problematic" Games on Steam |url=https://www.techopse.com/valve-submits-to-visa-and-mastercards-moral-crusade-escalating-censorship-of-problematic-games-on-steam/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Techopse}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Bonk |first=Lawrence |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam now bans games that violate the 'rules and standards' of payment processors and banks |url=https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-now-bans-games-that-violate-the-rules-and-standards-of-payment-processors-and-banks-164222173.html |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Engadget}}</ref> Consumers have shown considerable criticism despite the nature of the content removed from the platform due to the vagueness of these rules leaving a window open for expanded censorship.

==Background==
===Steam's content policies===
Prior to 2025, Steam maintained a permissive stance towards adult content, following their 2018 policy change that allowed "everything" except illegal content or "obvious trolling."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam rules updated to prohibit content that violates rules set forth by payment processors and banks |url=https://automaton-media.com/en/news/steam-rules-updated-to-prohibit-content-that-violates-rules-set-forth-by-payment-processors-and-banks/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=AUTOMATON WEST}}</ref> This policy allowed a diverse range of adult-oriented games on the platform, including visual novels, dating simulators, & games with mature themes.

===Payment processor precedents===
The gaming industry observed similar payment processor interventions in other digital platforms. In December 2020, Mastercard & VISA suspended services to Pornhub following allegations of illegal content, resulting in the removal of over 10 million videos from the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Dec 14, 2020 |title=Mastercard, Visa and Discover cut ties with Pornhub following allegations of child abuse |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/business/mastercard-visa-discover-pornhub/index.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=CNN Business}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=Dec 10, 2020 |title=Mastercard severs ties with Pornhub, citing illegal content |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/12/10/pornhub-mastercard-ban-mindgeek/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=The Washington Post}}</ref>

==Unfair content policy creation==

At an unknown time within 2025, the Rules and Guidelines for developers on [[Steam]]<ref name=":0" /> was updated by [[Valve]] due to pressures from payment vendors to delist content published with excessively mature content.<ref name=":1" /> However, vagueness of the following new rule within the policy has brought concern from consumers and the press:

<blockquote>15. Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam's payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content.</blockquote>

This is because enables payment processors, banks, and even ISPs to delist content based on what they solely deem to be unsuitable, which may extend beyond sexually explicit content.

===Timeline of events===
====July 11, 2025: Collective Shout campaign====
The Australian advocacy group [[Collective Shout]], which also defended the film "Cuties" that used underage girls<ref>{{Cite web |title=Collective Shout, Censorship, and Consequences: A Closer Look {{!}} by Just a guy honestly... Kan {{!}} Jul, 2025 {{!}} Medium |url=https://medium.com/@kanquests/collective-shout-censorship-and-consequences-a-closer-look-9a5fdf1dcec4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Collective Shout defended the "child exploitation" film Cuties (harmless fiction) . But they lied and attacked DETROIT BECOME HUMAN (harmless fiction). {{!}} by VolkColopatrion {{!}} Jul, 2025 {{!}} Medium |url=https://medium.com/@volkcolopatrion4/collective-shout-defended-the-child-exploitation-film-cuties-72195004572a}}</ref> published an open letter to payment processors titled '''"Open letter to payment processors profiting from rape, incest + child abuse games on Steam."'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=Jul 11, 2025 |title=Open letter to payment processors profiting from rape, incest + child abuse games on Steam |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/open-letter-to-payment-processors |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref> The letter was addressed to the CEOs of PayPal, Mastercard, & Visa, demanding they ''"immediately cease processing payments on Steam and itch.io."''<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=Jul 17, 2025 |title=Australian anti-porn group claims responsibility for Steam's new censorship rules in victory against 'porn sick brain rotted pedo gamer fetishists', and things only get weirder from there |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/australian-anti-porn-group-claims-responsibility-for-steams-new-censorship-rules-in-victory-against-porn-sick-brain-rotted-pedo-gamer-fetishists-and-things-only-get-weirder-from-there/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

====July 12, 2025: PayPal blocks Steam in most countries====
Starting on July 12, many Steam users from other countries took to Reddit to ask why PayPal had stopped functioning. The error message on the Steam checkout webpage when failing to use PayPal reads "We are temporarily unable to process transactions with this payment method at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience."<ref>{{Cite web |title=paypal temporarily disabled since?|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1lxtux9/paypal_temporarily_disabled_since/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

====July 15-16, 2025: Rule implementation====
Steam updated its developer guidelines to include Rule 15.<ref name=":1" /> SteamDB tracking indicated that over 100 games were removed from the platform within 16 hours of the policy change.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Phillip |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Steam Payment Processor Update / Collective Shout Controversy |url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/steam-payment-processor-update-collective-shout-controversy |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Know Your Meme}}</ref> The removed games primarily featured adult themes, with particular focus on titles containing incest narratives, sexual violence simulations, or slavery themes.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam takes down tons of porn games after new rule — here's what changed |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/steam-takes-down-tons-of-porn-games-cracks-down-on-certain-kinds-of-adult-only-content |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Windows Central}}</ref>

====July 17, 2025: Collective Shout claims victory====
Collective Shout published a follow-up article claiming credit for the policy change, titled "Win – New policy on Steam and rape + incest games removed."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Win – New policy on Steam and rape + incest games removed |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/win-new-steam-policy-games-removed |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref> Co-founder Melinda Tankard Reist made statements that were characterized by gaming media as inflammatory.<ref name=":4" />

====August 1, 2025: Mastercard responds, Valve clarifies====
In an article by games journalist website Kotaku, Mastercard had responded by claiming "Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations", However, Vale responded within the same day clarifying "Mastercard did not communicate with Valve directly, despite our request to do so, Mastercard communicated with payment processors and their acquiring banks. Payment processors communicated this with Valve, and we replied by outlining Steam’s policy since 2018 of attempting to distribute games that are legal for distribution. Payment processors rejected this, and specifically cited Mastercard’s Rule 5.12.7 and risk to the Mastercard brand.", where MasterCard rule 5.12.7 states "A Merchant must not submit to its Acquirer, and a Customer must not submit to the Interchange System, any Transaction that is illegal, or in the sole discretion of the Corporation, may damage the goodwill of the Corporation or reflect negatively on the Marks."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Mastercard Denies Pressuring Steam To Censor ‘NSFW’ Games, Update: Valve Responds|url=https://kotaku.com/mastercard-denies-pressuring-steam-to-censor-nsfw-games-2000614393|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

====August 9, 2025: MasterCard warns gaming tournaments about negative sentiment====
The games journalist who had their articles removed from Vice's website later mentioned that a source had told them that MasterCard, as a major sponsor for "League of Legends" eSports tournaments, had warned Riot Games (game developer of popular eSports game "League of Legends") about negative comments related to the recent games censorship issue, with the implication of deleting related comments from the chatroom on the official livestreams, as well as on the livestreams of content creator partners who work directly with Riot Games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ana Valens, BlueSky|url=https://bsky.app/profile/acvalens.net/post/3lvw2ukqlb22h|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

====August 12, 2025: Valve Support update on PayPal payment issues====
Valve updated their checkout website with a support link when failing to checkout using PayPal that reads "In early July 2025, PayPal notified Valve that their acquiring bank for payment transactions in certain currencies was immediately terminating the processing of any transactions related to Steam. This affects Steam purchases using PayPal in currencies other than EUR, CAD, GBP, JPY, AUD and USD.". This affects most countries, especially Eastern Europe, South America, and Asia, who cannot use PayPal for payments on Steam.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam PayPal unavailable update|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1mnzovo/steam_paypal_unavailable_update|access-date=Aug 18, 2025}}</ref>

====August 14, 2025: Valve confirms PayPal issues are related to the Mastercard issue====
In an article by games journalist website RockPaperShotgun, Valve clarifies the withdrawal of support for Steam transactions by one of PayPal's acquiring banks "is regarding content on Steam, related to what we’ve previously commented on surrounding Mastercard. In this case, one of PayPal’s acquiring banks decided to stop processing any Steam transactions, which cut off PayPal on Steam for a number of currencies".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Valve explain why using PayPal for Steam purchases isn't currently an option in a whole bunch of countries|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/valve-explain-why-using-paypal-for-steam-purchases-isnt-currently-an-option-in-a-whole-bunch-of-countries|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

Currently, the content being removed from the platform has included excessively sexual and mature topics,<ref name=":2" /> however, no significant game without this questionable content has been labeled as ''retired'' according to SteamDB currently.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SteamDB History |url=https://steamdb.info/history/events/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=SteamDB}}</ref>

===Valve's response===
The gaming news website Gaming on Linux contacted Valve regarding the matter, with its press team responding with the following:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dawe |first=Liam |date=16 Jul 2025 |title=Valve gets pressured by payment processors with a new rule for game devs and various adult games removed |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/07/valve-gets-pressured-by-payment-processors-with-a-new-rule-for-game-devs-and-various-adult-games-removed/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Gaming on Linux}}</ref>

<blockquote>We were recently notified that certain games on Steam may violate the rules and standards set forth by our payment processors and their related card networks and banks. As a result, we are retiring those games from being sold on the Steam Store, because loss of payment methods would prevent customers from being able to purchase other titles and game content on Steam.

We are directly notifying developers of these games, and issuing app credits should they have another game they'd like to distribute on Steam in the future.</blockquote>

GamesRadar+ reported that Valve confirmed the removals were due to pressure from banks and card companies, with the company stating that losing payment methods would prevent customers from purchasing any content on the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Valve confirms pressure from banks and card companies is to blame for the storefront axing adult Steam games |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/valve-confirms-pressure-from-banks-and-card-companies-is-to-blame-for-the-storefront-axing-adult-steam-games-loss-of-payment-methods-would-prevent-customers-from-being-able-to-purchase-other-titles/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=GamesRadar+}}</ref>

==Impact on other platforms==
===Itch.io===
On July 19, 2025, the indie gaming platform [[itch.io]] announced it would be "deindexing" adult content due to payment processor scrutiny.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Itch.io is removing NSFW games to comply with payment processors' rules |url=https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/itchio-is-removing-nsfw-games-to-comply-with-payment-processors-rules-133045491.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Engadget}}</ref> The platform's founder, Leaf Corcoran, stated they were "actively reaching out to other payment processors" and acknowledged having "limited ability to push back" compared to larger platforms like Valve.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Itch.io is 'actively reaching out to other payment processors' after pressure from credit card companies to curtail NSFW content |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/game-development/itch-io-is-actively-reaching-out-to-other-payment-processors-after-pressure-from-credit-card-companies-to-curtail-nsfw-content-and-that-compared-to-valve-it-has-limited-ability-to-push-back/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

Rascal News reported that itch.io had deindexed over 21,000 adult games, making them invisible in searches while technically remaining hosted.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Itch.io delists, bans games under pressure from payment processors and an Australian anti-porn group [Updated] |url=https://www.rascal.news/itch-io-delists-bans-games-under-pressure-from-payment-processors-and-an-australian-anti-porn-group/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Rascal News}}</ref> The platform later announced that free adult content would be re-indexed with improved content warnings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Update on NSFW content |url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=itch.io}}</ref>

The deindexing of itch.io games has significantly affected the Queer and Furry communities who hosted a lot of popular Visual Novel (Interactive Story) games on that website, some of which did not contain any erotica but were labelled as NSFW just because of containing story themes about queer people. Because of this, a large amount of users from BlueSky have organised a few campaigns against payment companies, including the creation of certain posters and websites as a call to action. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Stop Payment Processors from censorship! #SaveSpeech|url=https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title=Protect Queer Creators and Sex Workers - Tell Payment Processors to STOP|url=https://yellat.money/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

==Consumer response==

Consumer response is currently split, while many recognize that the content that has been taken down so far contains questionable topics,<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/HelloitsWojan |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam has added a new rule disallowing games that violate the rules and standards set forth by payment processors and card networks, or internet network providers. At the same time, many incest themed games were removed from the store. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1m17v49/steam_has_added_a_new_rule_disallowing_games_that/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> a majority both notice and dread the flaws of allowing third-parties to control what content would be allowed to be sold on [[Steam]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=OhNoItsAlexx |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=The Steam Censorship Situation Is INSANE |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqqw53LTf7A |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SomeOrdinaryGamers |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Steam's Payment Processor Censorship Controversy... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEflTJjtn5w |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> A [[Reddit]] post written by u/TeaLycan shared their concerns about how the new rule can be abused to unfairly delist content via nondescript rules on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/TeaLycan |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Concerned about Payment Processors policing Steam |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1m167jz/concerned_about_payment_processors_policing_steam/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

===Petitions and organized campaigns===
A Change.org petition titled "Tell MasterCard, Visa & Activist Groups: Stop Controlling What We Can Watch, Read, or Play" gained over 200,000 signatures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tell MasterCard, Visa & Activist Groups: Stop Controlling What We Can Watch, Read, or Play |url=https://www.change.org/p/tell-mastercard-visa-activist-groups-stop-controlling-what-we-can-watch-read-or-play |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Change.org}}</ref> Game Rant reported that the petition was "blowing up" as Steam users rallied against the censorship.<ref>{{Cite news |title=New Steam Petition is Blowing Up |url=https://gamerant.com/steam-anti-censorship-petition-adult-games-popular/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Game Rant}}</ref>

TheGamer reported that Steam users were coordinating campaigns to contact Visa directly about the game removals.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam Users Are Banding Together To Contact Visa Over Removal Of Adult Games |url=https://www.thegamer.com/steam-gaming-industry-visa-payment-processors-adult-games-banned/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=TheGamer}}</ref> TweakTown later reported that Visa had responded to the backlash, though the company's statement did not directly address the Steam situation.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Visa responds to backlash over its moral policing of video games on Steam |url=https://www.tweaktown.com/news/106699/visa-responds-to-backlash-over-its-moral-policing-of-video-games-on-steam/index.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=TweakTown}}</ref>

Due to itch.io games removal significantly affecting queer people, users cereza.zome and meltingcomet.com from BlueSky created websites full of activism information and sources.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stop Payment Processors from censorship! #SaveSpeech|url=https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title=Protect Queer Creators and Sex Workers - Tell Payment Processors to STOP|url=https://yellat.money/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>
===Community discussions===
Steam Community forums saw extensive discussion about the payment processor influence, with users expressing concern about the precedent being set.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Visa and Mastercard delisting games :: Steam Discussions |url=https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/601910081412467067/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Steam Community}}</ref> PC Gamer characterized the new rule as putting "the kibosh on 'certain kinds of adult only content' that make Visa and Mastercard sad."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam's got a new rule that puts the kibosh on 'certain kinds of adult only content' that make Visa and Mastercard sad |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/steam-introduces-new-rule-prohibiting-certain-kinds-of-adult-content-that-might-make-visa-or-mastercard-unhappy-financial-deplatforming-in-action/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

Consumers have linked this incident<ref name=":2" /> to an open letter written by the lobbyist group ''Collective Shout'',<ref name=":3" /> especially since the delisted content matched closely to the content decried by the aforementioned letter.

It has also raised questions about the dominance of traditional payment providers and users have been suggesting various open and privacy friendly alternatives to established systems that would not allow for such influence to be exercised on the kinds of goods being sold and could even allow for anonymity when purchasing digital goods.<ref>{{Cite web |title= You could use GNU Taler which simply digitalizes cash transactions even providing the buyer anonymity. That is just using existing currencies like the Euro. So that would work on whole EU scale. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/1m18fj4/comment/n3ffcmh/|author=u/TheJackiMonster|work=Reddit|date=2025-07-16|access-date=2025-08-04}}</ref>

==Industry and media response==
===Game developers===
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) issued a statement expressing concern about the removals, stating that they were "materially harmful to game developers" and that games featuring "consensual adult content, including queer, kink-positive, or romantic narratives, are easily targeted under vague or overly cautious enforcement."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Game industry fires back as certain adult games continue to be delisted from Steam and Itch.io |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/game-industry-fires-back-as-certain-adult-games-continue-to-be-delisted-from-steam-and-itch-io-financial-institutions-are-now-influencing-which-stories-can-be-told-and-sold-in-games/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=GamesRadar+}}</ref>

NoobFeed reported that multiple developers were caught off-guard by the sudden removals, with many learning about their games' delisting through community reports rather than direct notification from Valve.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam Under Fire After Game Removals Spark Payment Processor Controversy |url=https://www.noobfeed.com/news/steam-game-removal-payment-processor-controversy |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=NoobFeed}}</ref>

===Gaming media coverage===
Kotaku published an article titled "The War Over Credit Cards Censoring Games Is Just Getting Started".<ref>{{Cite news |title=The War Over Credit Cards Censoring Games Is Just Getting Started |url=https://kotaku.com/steam-itch-io-sex-game-nsfw-censor-visa-mastercard-1851787281 |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Kotaku}}</ref>

VICE reported on user anger toward Valve "for Banning Adult-Only Games off Its Platform".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam Users Are Mad at Valve for Banning Adult-Only Games off Its Platform |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/steam-users-are-mad-at-valve-for-banning-adult-only-games-off-its-platform/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=VICE}}</ref>

NotebookCheck reported that journalists investigating the censorship had resigned from their positions, though specific details were not provided.<ref>{{Cite news |title=After payment processors prompt removal of Steam games, journalists investigating the censorship resign |url=https://www.notebookcheck.net/After-payment-processors-prompt-removal-of-Steam-games-journalists-investigating-the-censorship-resign.1063259.0.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=NotebookCheck}}</ref>

==Alternative payment methods==
===Cryptocurrency options===
Following the controversy, services offering Steam gift cards for cryptocurrency got more attention. PayRam reported a 300% increase in gaming-related cryptocurrency transactions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=STEAM'S SHOCK RULE 15: How Payment Giants Seized Control & Your 2025 Survival Guide |url=https://payram.com/blog/steams-shock-rule-15-how-payment-giants-seized-control-your-2025-survival-guide |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=PayRam}}</ref> Multiple services including Bitrefill, Coinsbee, and CryptoRefills offer Steam gift cards you can buy with different cryptocurrencies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buy Steam Gift Card with Bitcoin, USDT, ETH or Crypto |url=https://www.bitrefill.com/us/en/gift-cards/steam-usa/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Bitrefill}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Buy Steam gift card with Crypto |url=https://www.cryptorefills.com/en/steam-bitcoin |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=CryptoRefills}}</ref>

Steam previously accepted Bitcoin directly from 2016 to 2017 but discontinued the service citing high fees and volatility.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam is no longer supporting Bitcoin |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1464096684955433613 |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Steam Community}}</ref>

==Scary precedents set==
===Financial censorship concerns===
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has characterized payment processor restrictions as creating ''"choke points to accomplish widespread censorship."''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Financial Censorship |url=https://www.eff.org/issues/financial-censorship |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref> The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) issued a statement on free speech and online payment processors, noting concerns about the expanding influence of financial intermediaries on digital content.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIRE Statement on Free Speech and Online Payment Processors |url=https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fire-statement-free-speech-and-online-payment-processors |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression}}</ref>

Aftermath published an article titled ''"Controversial Opinion, But Faceless Payment Processors Probably Shouldn't Be Able To Run The Whole World From The Shadows,"'' bringing up concerns about unaccountable [[financial censorship]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Controversial Opinion, But Faceless Payment Processors Probably Shouldn't Be Able To Run The Whole World From The Shadows |url=https://aftermath.site/aftermath-hours-podcast-steam-itch-porn-payment-processors |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Aftermath}}</ref>

===International responses===
CBC Radio reported on the situation as "How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games."<ref>{{Cite news |title=How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/steam-itch-takedowns-credit-cards-1.7597563 |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=CBC Radio}}</ref>

Japanese gaming news outlet GIGAZINE reported that "'Gamer Outrage' became a trending topic on Japan's X (formerly Twitter)" following the removals and Collective Shout's statements.<ref>{{Cite news |title=After Steam removed a large number of adult games, an anti-pornography group declared a 'victory against pedophile gamers' |url=https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250722-steam-introduced-confusing-new-rules-adult-content/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=GIGAZINE}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Collective Shout]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]
[[Category:Incidents]]

Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam

2025-08-18T04:27:42Z

AnOddFellow: Generally improved clarity in various places. Also, REMOVE THE NEW LINE CHARACTERS PLEASE.

{{OngoingEvent}}{{Incomplete}}

At an unknown date in 2025, [[Valve]] updated its Rules and Guidelines for developers on [[Steam]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Steamworks Documentation - Onboarding |url=https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/onboarding |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250719092925/https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/onboarding |archive-date=Jul 19, 2025 |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Steamworks Documentation}}</ref> Within these rules, they granted [[wikt:Internet_service_provider|internet service providers]] (ISPs) and banks/transaction providers the power to delist games from their platform.<ref>{{Cite news |last=techopse |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Valve Submits to VISA and MasterCard's Moral Crusade, Escalating Censorship of "Problematic" Games on Steam |url=https://www.techopse.com/valve-submits-to-visa-and-mastercards-moral-crusade-escalating-censorship-of-problematic-games-on-steam/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Techopse}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Bonk |first=Lawrence |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam now bans games that violate the 'rules and standards' of payment processors and banks |url=https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-now-bans-games-that-violate-the-rules-and-standards-of-payment-processors-and-banks-164222173.html |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Engadget}}</ref> Consumers have shown considerable criticism despite the nature of the content removed from the platform due to the vagueness of these rules leaving a window open for expanded censorship.

==Background==
===Steam's content policies===
Prior to 2025, Steam maintained a permissive stance towards adult content, following their 2018 policy change that allowed "everything" except illegal content or "obvious trolling."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam rules updated to prohibit content that violates rules set forth by payment processors and banks |url=https://automaton-media.com/en/news/steam-rules-updated-to-prohibit-content-that-violates-rules-set-forth-by-payment-processors-and-banks/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=AUTOMATON WEST}}</ref> This policy allowed a diverse range of adult-oriented games on the platform, including visual novels, dating simulators, & games with mature themes.

===Payment processor precedents===
The gaming industry observed similar payment processor interventions in other digital platforms. In December 2020, Mastercard & VISA suspended services to Pornhub following allegations of illegal content, resulting in the removal of over 10 million videos from the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Dec 14, 2020 |title=Mastercard, Visa and Discover cut ties with Pornhub following allegations of child abuse |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/business/mastercard-visa-discover-pornhub/index.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=CNN Business}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=Dec 10, 2020 |title=Mastercard severs ties with Pornhub, citing illegal content |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/12/10/pornhub-mastercard-ban-mindgeek/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=The Washington Post}}</ref>

==Unfair content policy creation==

At an unknown time within 2025, the Rules and Guidelines for developers on [[Steam]]<ref name=":0" /> was updated by [[Valve]] due to pressures from payment vendors to delist content published with excessively mature content.<ref name=":1" /> However, vagueness of the following new rule within the policy has brought concern from consumers and the press:

<blockquote>15. Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam's payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content.</blockquote>

This is because enables payment processors, banks, and even ISPs to delist content based on what they solely deem to be unsuitable, which may extend beyond sexually explicit content.

===Timeline of events===
====July 11, 2025: Collective Shout campaign====
The Australian advocacy group [[Collective Shout]], which also defended the film "Cuties" that used underage girls<ref>{{Cite web |title=Collective Shout, Censorship, and Consequences: A Closer Look {{!}} by Just a guy honestly... Kan {{!}} Jul, 2025 {{!}} Medium |url=https://medium.com/@kanquests/collective-shout-censorship-and-consequences-a-closer-look-9a5fdf1dcec4}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Collective Shout defended the "child exploitation" film Cuties (harmless fiction) . But they lied and attacked DETROIT BECOME HUMAN (harmless fiction). {{!}} by VolkColopatrion {{!}} Jul, 2025 {{!}} Medium |url=https://medium.com/@volkcolopatrion4/collective-shout-defended-the-child-exploitation-film-cuties-72195004572a}}</ref> published an open letter to payment processors titled '''"Open letter to payment processors profiting from rape, incest + child abuse games on Steam."'''<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=Jul 11, 2025 |title=Open letter to payment processors profiting from rape, incest + child abuse games on Steam |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/open-letter-to-payment-processors |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref> The letter was addressed to the CEOs of PayPal, Mastercard, & Visa, demanding they ''"immediately cease processing payments on Steam and itch.io."''<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=Jul 17, 2025 |title=Australian anti-porn group claims responsibility for Steam's new censorship rules in victory against 'porn sick brain rotted pedo gamer fetishists', and things only get weirder from there |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/australian-anti-porn-group-claims-responsibility-for-steams-new-censorship-rules-in-victory-against-porn-sick-brain-rotted-pedo-gamer-fetishists-and-things-only-get-weirder-from-there/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

====July 12, 2025: PayPal blocks Steam in most countries====
Starting on July 12, many Steam users from other countries took to Reddit to ask why PayPal had stopped functioning. The error message on the Steam checkout webpage when failing to use PayPal reads "We are temporarily unable to process transactions with this payment method at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience."<ref>{{Cite web |title=paypal temporarily disabled since?|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1lxtux9/paypal_temporarily_disabled_since/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

====July 15-16, 2025: Rule implementation====
Steam updated its developer guidelines to include Rule 15.<ref name=":1" /> SteamDB tracking indicated that over 100 games were removed from the platform within 16 hours of the policy change.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Phillip |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Steam Payment Processor Update / Collective Shout Controversy |url=https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/steam-payment-processor-update-collective-shout-controversy |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Know Your Meme}}</ref> The removed games primarily featured adult themes, with particular focus on titles containing incest narratives, sexual violence simulations, or slavery themes.<ref>{{Cite news |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam takes down tons of porn games after new rule — here's what changed |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/steam-takes-down-tons-of-porn-games-cracks-down-on-certain-kinds-of-adult-only-content |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Windows Central}}</ref>

====July 17, 2025: Collective Shout claims victory====
Collective Shout published a follow-up article claiming credit for the policy change, titled "Win – New policy on Steam and rape + incest games removed."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Win – New policy on Steam and rape + incest games removed |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/win-new-steam-policy-games-removed |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref> Co-founder Melinda Tankard Reist made statements that were characterized by gaming media as inflammatory.<ref name=":4" />

====August 1, 2025: Mastercard responds, Valve clarifies====
In an article by games journalist website Kotaku, Mastercard had responded by claiming "Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations", However, Vale responded within the same day clarifying "Mastercard did not communicate with Valve directly, despite our request to do so, Mastercard communicated with payment processors and their acquiring banks. Payment processors communicated this with Valve, and we replied by outlining Steam’s policy since 2018 of attempting to distribute games that are legal for distribution. Payment processors rejected this, and specifically cited Mastercard’s Rule 5.12.7 and risk to the Mastercard brand.", where MasterCard rule 5.12.7 states "A Merchant must not submit to its Acquirer, and a Customer must not submit to the Interchange System, any Transaction that is illegal, or in the sole discretion of the Corporation, may damage the goodwill of the Corporation or reflect negatively on the Marks."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Mastercard Denies Pressuring Steam To Censor ‘NSFW’ Games, Update: Valve Responds|url=https://kotaku.com/mastercard-denies-pressuring-steam-to-censor-nsfw-games-2000614393|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

====August 9, 2025: MasterCard warns gaming tournaments about negative sentiment====
The games journalist who had their articles removed from Vice's website later mentioned that a source had told them that MasterCard, as a major sponsor for "League of Legends" eSports tournaments, had warned Riot Games (game developer of popular eSports game "League of Legends") about negative comments related to the recent games censorship issue, with the implication of deleting related comments from the chatroom on the official livestreams, as well as on the livestreams of content creator partners who work directly with Riot Games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ana Valens, BlueSky|url=https://bsky.app/profile/acvalens.net/post/3lvw2ukqlb22h|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

====August 12, 2025: Valve Support update on PayPal payment issues====
Valve updated their checkout website with a support link when failing to checkout using PayPal that reads "In early July 2025, PayPal notified Valve that their acquiring bank for payment transactions in certain currencies was immediately terminating the processing of any transactions related to Steam. This affects Steam purchases using PayPal in currencies other than EUR, CAD, GBP, JPY, AUD and USD.". This affects most countries, especially Eastern Europe, South America, and Asia, who cannot use PayPal for payments on Steam.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam PayPal unavailable update|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1mnzovo/steam_paypal_unavailable_update|access-date=Aug 18, 2025}}</ref>

====August 14, 2025: Valve confirms PayPal issues are related to the Mastercard issue====
In an article by games journalist website RockPaperShotgun, Valve clarifies the withdrawal of support for Steam transactions by one of PayPal's acquiring banks "is regarding content on Steam, related to what we’ve previously commented on surrounding Mastercard. In this case, one of PayPal’s acquiring banks decided to stop processing any Steam transactions, which cut off PayPal on Steam for a number of currencies".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Valve explain why using PayPal for Steam purchases isn't currently an option in a whole bunch of countries|url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/valve-explain-why-using-paypal-for-steam-purchases-isnt-currently-an-option-in-a-whole-bunch-of-countries|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

Currently, the content being removed from the platform has included excessively sexual and mature topics,<ref name=":2" /> however, no significant game without this questionable content has been labeled as ''retired'' according to SteamDB currently.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SteamDB History |url=https://steamdb.info/history/events/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=SteamDB}}</ref>

===Valve's response===
The gaming news website Gaming on Linux contacted Valve regarding the matter, with its press team responding with the following:<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dawe |first=Liam |date=16 Jul 2025 |title=Valve gets pressured by payment processors with a new rule for game devs and various adult games removed |url=https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/07/valve-gets-pressured-by-payment-processors-with-a-new-rule-for-game-devs-and-various-adult-games-removed/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=Gaming on Linux}}</ref>

<blockquote>We were recently notified that certain games on Steam may violate the rules and standards set forth by our payment processors and their related card networks and banks. As a result, we are retiring those games from being sold on the Steam Store, because loss of payment methods would prevent customers from being able to purchase other titles and game content on Steam.

We are directly notifying developers of these games, and issuing app credits should they have another game they'd like to distribute on Steam in the future.</blockquote>

GamesRadar+ reported that Valve confirmed the removals were due to pressure from banks and card companies, with the company stating that losing payment methods would prevent customers from purchasing any content on the platform.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Valve confirms pressure from banks and card companies is to blame for the storefront axing adult Steam games |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/valve-confirms-pressure-from-banks-and-card-companies-is-to-blame-for-the-storefront-axing-adult-steam-games-loss-of-payment-methods-would-prevent-customers-from-being-able-to-purchase-other-titles/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |work=GamesRadar+}}</ref>

==Impact on other platforms==
===Itch.io===
On July 19, 2025, the indie gaming platform [[itch.io]] announced it would be "deindexing" adult content due to payment processor scrutiny.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Itch.io is removing NSFW games to comply with payment processors' rules |url=https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/itchio-is-removing-nsfw-games-to-comply-with-payment-processors-rules-133045491.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Engadget}}</ref> The platform's founder, Leaf Corcoran, stated they were "actively reaching out to other payment processors" and acknowledged having "limited ability to push back" compared to larger platforms like Valve.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Itch.io is 'actively reaching out to other payment processors' after pressure from credit card companies to curtail NSFW content |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/game-development/itch-io-is-actively-reaching-out-to-other-payment-processors-after-pressure-from-credit-card-companies-to-curtail-nsfw-content-and-that-compared-to-valve-it-has-limited-ability-to-push-back/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

Rascal News reported that itch.io had deindexed over 21,000 adult games, making them invisible in searches while technically remaining hosted.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Itch.io delists, bans games under pressure from payment processors and an Australian anti-porn group [Updated] |url=https://www.rascal.news/itch-io-delists-bans-games-under-pressure-from-payment-processors-and-an-australian-anti-porn-group/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Rascal News}}</ref> The platform later announced that free adult content would be re-indexed with improved content warnings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Update on NSFW content |url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=itch.io}}</ref>

The deindexing of itch.io games has significantly affected the Queer and Furry communities who hosted a lot of popular Visual Novel (Interactive Story) games on that website, some of which did not contain any erotica but were labelled as NSFW just because of containing story themes about queer people. Because of this, a large amount of users from BlueSky have organised a few campaigns against payment companies, including the creation of certain posters and websites as a call to action. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Stop Payment Processors from censorship! #SaveSpeech|url=https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title=Protect Queer Creators and Sex Workers - Tell Payment Processors to STOP|url=https://yellat.money/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>

==Consumer response==

Consumer response is currently split, while many recognize that the content that has been taken down so far contains questionable topics,<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/HelloitsWojan |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Steam has added a new rule disallowing games that violate the rules and standards set forth by payment processors and card networks, or internet network providers. At the same time, many incest themed games were removed from the store. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1m17v49/steam_has_added_a_new_rule_disallowing_games_that/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> a majority both notice and dread the flaws of allowing third-parties to control what content would be allowed to be sold on [[Steam]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=OhNoItsAlexx |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=The Steam Censorship Situation Is INSANE |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqqw53LTf7A |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SomeOrdinaryGamers |date=Jul 18, 2025 |title=Steam's Payment Processor Censorship Controversy... |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEflTJjtn5w |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> A [[Reddit]] post written by u/TeaLycan shared their concerns about how the new rule can be abused to unfairly delist content via nondescript rules on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=u/TeaLycan |date=Jul 16, 2025 |title=Concerned about Payment Processors policing Steam |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/1m167jz/concerned_about_payment_processors_policing_steam/ |access-date=Jul 19, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref>

===Petitions and organized campaigns===
A Change.org petition titled "Tell MasterCard, Visa & Activist Groups: Stop Controlling What We Can Watch, Read, or Play" gained over 200,000 signatures.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tell MasterCard, Visa & Activist Groups: Stop Controlling What We Can Watch, Read, or Play |url=https://www.change.org/p/tell-mastercard-visa-activist-groups-stop-controlling-what-we-can-watch-read-or-play |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Change.org}}</ref> Game Rant reported that the petition was "blowing up" as Steam users rallied against the censorship.<ref>{{Cite news |title=New Steam Petition is Blowing Up |url=https://gamerant.com/steam-anti-censorship-petition-adult-games-popular/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Game Rant}}</ref>

TheGamer reported that Steam users were coordinating campaigns to contact Visa directly about the game removals.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam Users Are Banding Together To Contact Visa Over Removal Of Adult Games |url=https://www.thegamer.com/steam-gaming-industry-visa-payment-processors-adult-games-banned/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=TheGamer}}</ref> TweakTown later reported that Visa had responded to the backlash, though the company's statement did not directly address the Steam situation.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Visa responds to backlash over its moral policing of video games on Steam |url=https://www.tweaktown.com/news/106699/visa-responds-to-backlash-over-its-moral-policing-of-video-games-on-steam/index.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=TweakTown}}</ref>

Due to itch.io games removal significantly affecting queer people, users cereza.zome and meltingcomet.com from BlueSky created websites full of activism information and sources.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stop Payment Processors from censorship! #SaveSpeech|url=https://stop-paypros.neocities.org/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web |title=Protect Queer Creators and Sex Workers - Tell Payment Processors to STOP|url=https://yellat.money/|access-date=Aug 16, 2025}}</ref>
===Community discussions===
Steam Community forums saw extensive discussion about the payment processor influence, with users expressing concern about the precedent being set.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Visa and Mastercard delisting games :: Steam Discussions |url=https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/0/601910081412467067/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Steam Community}}</ref> PC Gamer characterized the new rule as putting "the kibosh on 'certain kinds of adult only content' that make Visa and Mastercard sad."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam's got a new rule that puts the kibosh on 'certain kinds of adult only content' that make Visa and Mastercard sad |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/steam-introduces-new-rule-prohibiting-certain-kinds-of-adult-content-that-might-make-visa-or-mastercard-unhappy-financial-deplatforming-in-action/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=PC Gamer}}</ref>

Consumers have linked this incident<ref name=":2" /> to an open letter written by the lobbyist group ''Collective Shout'',<ref name=":3" /> especially since the delisted content matched closely to the content decried by the aforementioned letter.

It has also raised questions about the dominance of traditional payment providers and users have been suggesting various open and privacy friendly alternatives to established systems that would not allow for such influence to be exercised on the kinds of goods being sold and could even allow for anonymity when purchasing digital goods.<ref>{{Cite web |title= You could use GNU Taler which simply digitalizes cash transactions even providing the buyer anonymity. That is just using existing currencies like the Euro. So that would work on whole EU scale. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/1m18fj4/comment/n3ffcmh/|author=u/TheJackiMonster|work=Reddit|date=2025-07-16|access-date=2025-08-04}}</ref>

==Industry and media response==
===Game developers===
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) issued a statement expressing concern about the removals, stating that they were "materially harmful to game developers" and that games featuring "consensual adult content, including queer, kink-positive, or romantic narratives, are easily targeted under vague or overly cautious enforcement."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Game industry fires back as certain adult games continue to be delisted from Steam and Itch.io |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/game-industry-fires-back-as-certain-adult-games-continue-to-be-delisted-from-steam-and-itch-io-financial-institutions-are-now-influencing-which-stories-can-be-told-and-sold-in-games/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=GamesRadar+}}</ref>

NoobFeed reported that multiple developers were caught off-guard by the sudden removals, with many learning about their games' delisting through community reports rather than direct notification from Valve.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam Under Fire After Game Removals Spark Payment Processor Controversy |url=https://www.noobfeed.com/news/steam-game-removal-payment-processor-controversy |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=NoobFeed}}</ref>

===Gaming media coverage===
Kotaku published an article titled "The War Over Credit Cards Censoring Games Is Just Getting Started".<ref>{{Cite news |title=The War Over Credit Cards Censoring Games Is Just Getting Started |url=https://kotaku.com/steam-itch-io-sex-game-nsfw-censor-visa-mastercard-1851787281 |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Kotaku}}</ref>VICE reported on user anger toward Valve for "Banning Adult-Only Games off Its Platform."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Steam Users Are Mad at Valve for Banning Adult-Only Games off Its Platform |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/steam-users-are-mad-at-valve-for-banning-adult-only-games-off-its-platform/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=VICE}}</ref>

NotebookCheck reported that journalists investigating the censorship had resigned from their positions, though specific details were not provided.<ref>{{Cite news |title=After payment processors prompt removal of Steam games, journalists investigating the censorship resign |url=https://www.notebookcheck.net/After-payment-processors-prompt-removal-of-Steam-games-journalists-investigating-the-censorship-resign.1063259.0.html |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=NotebookCheck}}</ref>

==Alternative payment methods==
===Cryptocurrency options===
Following the controversy, services offering Steam gift cards for cryptocurrency got more attention. PayRam reported a 300% increase in gaming-related cryptocurrency transactions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=STEAM'S SHOCK RULE 15: How Payment Giants Seized Control & Your 2025 Survival Guide |url=https://payram.com/blog/steams-shock-rule-15-how-payment-giants-seized-control-your-2025-survival-guide |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=PayRam}}</ref> Multiple services including Bitrefill, Coinsbee, and CryptoRefills offer Steam gift cards you can buy with different cryptocurrencies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Buy Steam Gift Card with Bitcoin, USDT, ETH or Crypto |url=https://www.bitrefill.com/us/en/gift-cards/steam-usa/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Bitrefill}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Buy Steam gift card with Crypto |url=https://www.cryptorefills.com/en/steam-bitcoin |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=CryptoRefills}}</ref>

Steam previously accepted Bitcoin directly from 2016 to 2017 but discontinued the service citing high fees and volatility.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam is no longer supporting Bitcoin |url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1464096684955433613 |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Steam Community}}</ref>

==Scary precedents set==
===Financial censorship concerns===
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has characterized payment processor restrictions as creating ''"choke points to accomplish widespread censorship."''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Financial Censorship |url=https://www.eff.org/issues/financial-censorship |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref> The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) issued a statement on free speech and online payment processors, noting concerns about the expanding influence of financial intermediaries on digital content.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FIRE Statement on Free Speech and Online Payment Processors |url=https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fire-statement-free-speech-and-online-payment-processors |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |website=The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression}}</ref>

Aftermath published an article titled ''"Controversial Opinion, But Faceless Payment Processors Probably Shouldn't Be Able To Run The Whole World From The Shadows,"'' bringing up concerns about unaccountable [[financial censorship]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Controversial Opinion, But Faceless Payment Processors Probably Shouldn't Be Able To Run The Whole World From The Shadows |url=https://aftermath.site/aftermath-hours-podcast-steam-itch-porn-payment-processors |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=Aftermath}}</ref>

===International responses===
CBC Radio reported on the situation as "How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games."<ref>{{Cite news |title=How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/steam-itch-takedowns-credit-cards-1.7597563 |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=CBC Radio}}</ref>

Japanese gaming news outlet GIGAZINE reported that "'Gamer Outrage' became a trending topic on Japan's X (formerly Twitter)" following the removals and Collective Shout's statements.<ref>{{Cite news |title=After Steam removed a large number of adult games, an anti-pornography group declared a 'victory against pedophile gamers' |url=https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20250722-steam-introduced-confusing-new-rules-adult-content/ |access-date=Jul 20, 2025 |work=GIGAZINE}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Collective Shout]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]
[[Category:Incidents]]

Google OnHub

2025-08-15T22:33:11Z

AnOddFellow: Fixed a typo, and generally tried to improve the tone of the article.

{{Incomplete}}
{{ProductLineCargo
|Company=Google
|ReleaseYear=2016
|InProduction=No
|ArticleType=Product
|Category=Hardware
|Description=Line of routers produced by other manufacturers, but sold by Google and managed through Google Home.
}}Google OnHub was a line of WiFi-enabled internet routers sold by Google from 2016-2022. They were intended to provide high signal strength in a better looking package than typical routers, to encourage users to place them in open areas. They were produced by third party manufacturers, but relied on Google for software support and used a Google cloud interface for all settings and administration.

==Consumer impact summary==
====Freedom====
The ability to administer OnHub routers via Google’s cloud service was completely disabled in 2023. Since no local interface for doing so existed previously, and Google didn’t include an update to add one, this removed any ability to change any settings on the routers.

====Privacy====

====Market control====

====Business model====

==Incidents==
===Google Removes Ability to Change Any Settings (''01-11-2023'')===
{{Main|1=https://support.google.com/googlenest/answer/11257354?hl=en}}
On 1/11/2023, Google removed the ability to access or change any settings on OnHub routers via the Google Home application. Because this was the only method available to change settings or otherwise administer these routers, no settings changes could be made to them from that point onward. Google only suggested two fixes for this: an article on how to recycle the router, and a discount code for their newer Mesh WiFi devices.
==Products==
{{Ph-C-P}}

==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Category:Rights Stripping

2025-08-13T21:18:06Z

AnOddFellow: Removed the category Rights Stripping from the category Rights Stripping page, eliminating an infinitely recursive loop.

Rights Stripping, as defined in this wiki, is the systematic removal or reduction of consumer rights through agreement modifications. Pages that fall under this category are examples of instances of this anti-consumer behavior.

[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
[[Category:Common terms]]

Mark Zuckerberg

2025-08-13T20:50:09Z

AnOddFellow: Missed a couple things from the initial sweep-through; caught them this time.

''[[wikipedia:Mark_Zuckerberg|Mark Elliot Zuckerberg]]'' was born on May 14, 1984 and raised in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Prior to high school he created tools like ZuckNet and Synapse. Demonstrating a great aptitude for programming, he attended Phillips Exeter Academy before enrolling at Harvard in 2002 and subsequently dropping out in 2004.

==Professional background==
Zuckerberg is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., which is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other digital services. He launched "TheFacebook" on February 4, 2004, while he was studying psychology and computer science at Harvard University. Facebook, originating as a campus directory to connect Harvard students, expanded rapidly, reaching one million users within a year becoming the world’s largest social network by 2009.

==Stance on consumer rights==
Zuckerberg’s stance on consumer rights is marked by a pattern of reactive concessions under legal pressure rather than proactive protection. In 2002, he hacked Harvard's security system and accessed students I.D. photos to populate a website that would allow users to rate students by looks, FaceMash, which was shut down three days later by the University.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bellis |first=Mary |title=The History of Facebook and How It Was Invented |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-facebook-1991791 |website=ThoughtCo.}}</ref> Publicly advocating for limited regulatory reforms, his actions regarding data privacy, antitrust, and civil rights prioritize Meta’s business model over consumer welfare. While he has consistently emphasized user control over privacy settings, his actions and business model reveal a pattern of undermining true data autonomy.

===Public statements supporting consumer control===
*2004, "People have very good control over who can see their information".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Balakrishnan |first=Anita |last2=Salinas |first2=Sara |last3=Hunter |first3=Matt |date=April 9, 2018 |title=Mark Zuckerberg has been talking about privacy for 15 years - here’s almost everything he’s said |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerbergs-statements-on-privacy-2003-2018.html |work=CNBC}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Salinas |first=Sara |last2=Balakrishnan |first2=Anita |date=December 19, 2018 |title=Mark Zuckerberg has been talking and apologizing about privacy since 2003 - here’s a reminder of what he’s said |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/19/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-privacy-apologies.html |work=CNBC}}</ref>
*2010, "What people want isn’t complete privacy. It’s control over what they share".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Clifford |first=Catherine |date=October 24, 2019 |title=19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg: ‘Issues about violating people’s privacy don’t seem to be surmountable’ |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/24/19-year-old-mark-zuckerberg-on-privacy-issues-versus-today.html |work=CNBC}}</ref>
*2019, he acknowledged Facebook’s poor privacy reputation, but pledged to build a "privacy focused platform".<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=March 7, 2019 |title=Mark Zuckerberg's privacy blogpost: what he did and didn't say |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/07/mark-zuckerbergs-privacy-blogpost-what-he-said-and-what-he-didnt |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

However, these statements often frame control narrowly, focusing on visibility settings rather than limiting Facebook’s own data collection or third-party sharing.

===Actions undermining control===
*Lax Data Policies: [[The Cambridge Analytica Scandal]] revealed Facebook allowed third-party apps to harvest data from millions without explicit consent. Zuckerberg admitted, "[w]e simply did a bad job".<ref name=":0" /> Emails later suggested he was aware of privacy risks, but prioritized growth.<ref name=":2" />
*Deceptive Practices: The FTC found Facebook violated a 2012 consent decree by misleading users about data sharing.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rushe |first=Dominic |date=June 12, 2019 |title=Facebook emails seem to show Zuckerberg knew of privacy issues, report claims |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jun/12/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-privacy-emails-report |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Attorney General Racine’s lawsuit accused Zuckerberg of personally enabling policies that exposed user data.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=AG Racine Sues Mark Zuckerberg for Failing to Protect Millions of Users' Data, Misleading Privacy Practices |url=https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-mark-zuckerberg-failing-protect}}</ref>

*Opaque Controls: Privacy settings are buried and confusing. As critics note, "[o]ffering tools doesn’t help if they’re hard to find." One such example is ad-targeting controls being hidden under unrelated menus.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Barrett |first=Brian |date=April 10, 2010 |title=Mark Zuckerberg's Privacy Shell Game |url=https://www.wired.com/story/mark-zuckerbergs-privacy-shell-game/ |work=Wired}}</ref>
*Revenue relies on monetizing user data.
**"Zuckerberg’s Law": He predicted users would share twice as much data yearly, pushing openness over privacy.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
**Data Hoarding: Despite [[General Data Protection Regulation]] (GDPR) style pledges, Facebook resists limits on data collection, such as opposing regulations that would curb microtargeting.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Tom |date=2019-04-03 |title=Mark Zuckerberg’s call for internet rules only goes part way |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mark-zuckerbergs-call-for-internet-rules-only-goes-part-way/ |website=The Brookings Institution}}</ref>

==Major consumer protection incidents==

===Cambridge Analytica Data Scandal===
The Cambridge Analytica scandal came to light when a former employee, Christopher Wylie, leaked internal documents to journalists. These documents demonstrated uninformed consent of personal data collection of up to 87 million Facebook profiles, which served political advertising purposes through Facebook's Open Graph Platform and the Facebook application, "This is Your Digital Life," developed by data scientist Aleksandr Kogan at Global Science Research.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/10/facebook-cambridge-analytica-a-timeline-of-the-data-hijacking-scandal.html "Facebook-Cambridge Analytica: A timeline of the data hijacking scandal"] - cnbc.com - accessed 2025-02-03</ref> The appropriated personal data was used in the US 2016 Presidency for Ted Cruz's and Donald Trump's campaigns.<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-facebook-scandal-trump-cruz-operatives-2018-3 "There's an open secret about Cambridge Analytica in the political world: It doesn't have the 'secret sauce' it claims"] - businessinsider.com - accessed 2025-02-03 </ref>

'''Deceptive Marketing'''

In 2011, the FTC found Facebook guilty of deceptive practices, such as sharing data with third-party apps without user consent and misrepresenting privacy controls. Despite a 20 year consent order, Facebook continued to face allegations of similar violations, including post-2018 complaints about lax data policies.

A photo of Zuckerberg revealed in 2016 that he keeps his own laptop camera covered with tape.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-22 |title=Mark Zuckerberg Puts Tape Over His Webcam |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/mark-zuckerberg-puts-tape-webcam/story?id=40040340 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=abc News}}</ref>
==Regulatory response==
*Fines: Facebook paid five billion dollars to the FTC for privacy violations and faced lawsuits for deceptive practices.<ref name=":2" />
*Whistleblower Allegations: Internal documents show Zuckerberg prioritized engagement over safety, undermining claims of user control.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />

==Current status==
As of June 2025, Mark Zuckerberg remains the CEO and Chairman of Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook). He continues to lead the company's focus on the ''metaverse'', artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies.

===Recent developments===

*Meta's AI and Metaverse Push''':''' Meta is heavily investing in AI, including large language models (like LLaMA) and AI-driven products across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
*Threads and Social Media: ''Threads'', Meta's answer to X (formerly ''twitter''), continues to grow, integrating deeper with Instagram and Fediverse (decentralized social networking).
*Regulatory and Legal Issues''':''' Zuckerberg and Meta still face scrutiny over data privacy, antitrust concerns, and content moderation policies worldwide.

==Impact on consumer protection==
Mark Zuckerberg has significantly influenced consumer rights, both positively and negatively. His decisions have shaped digital privacy, data control, competition, and transparency, often sparking regulatory and public backlash.
*Data privacy and surveillance
**Negative: Facebook (now Meta) has faced numerous scandals involving unauthorized data collection, including Cambridge Analytica (2018), where 87 million users’ data was harvested without consent.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cadwalladr |first=Carole |last2=Graham-Harrison |first2=Emma |date=March 17, 2018 |title=Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
**Positive: Meta introduced privacy tools and supported GDPR compliance in the EU, after the scandals.
*Algorithmic manipulation and mental health concerns
**Negative: Studies revealed that Meta’s algorithms promoted harmful content, affecting mental health and spreading misinformation.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Georgia |last2=Horwitz |first2=Jeff |last3=Seetharaman |first3=Deepa |date=September 14, 2021 |title=Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref>
**Positive: Meta has since introduced wellbeing features, such as screen time limits and content warnings.
*Monopoly power and reduced consumer choice
**Negative: Meta’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp led to antitrust lawsuits, limiting competition and consumer alternatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2020 |title=FTC Sues Facebook for Illegal Monopolization |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2020/12/ftc-sues-facebook-illegal-monopolization |website=Federal Trade Commission}}</ref>
**Positive: Some argue Meta’s ecosystem (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) provides convenience through integrated services.{{Citation needed|reason=Who is arguing this?}}
*Transparency and accountability
**Negative: Facebook historically resisted transparency, including hiding internal research on harms.<ref name=":6" />
**Positive: Meta now publishes quarterly transparency reports on content moderation and government requests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transparency Center |url=https://transparency.fb.com/ |website=transparency.fb.com}}</ref>
*Ad targeting and consumer exploitation
**Negative: Facebook’s micro-targeting has been criticized for enabling discriminatory ads <ref>{{Cite news |last=Angwin |first=Julia |last2=Parris Jr. |first2=Terry |date=October 28, 2016 |title=Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-lets-advertisers-exclude-users-by-race |work=ProPublica}}</ref> and exploiting user behavior.
**Positive: Meta has restricted some ad-targeting categories (e.g., race, religion) in response to criticism.
The impact Mark and Meta have had on consumer rights is mixed. Meta has introduced some privacy and transparency improvements but Zuckerbergs history of data exploitation, monopolistic behavior, and algorithmic harms has significantly weakened consumer trust. Regulatory pressure continues to shape Meta’s policies, but critics argue that more systemic changes are needed.

==References==

[[Category:Individuals]]
<references />

Mark Zuckerberg

2025-08-13T20:41:17Z

AnOddFellow: Generally tried to clean up the article to make it easier to read. Also added a Citation Needed template to a claim that said some folks were arguing a specific stance without naming them.

''[[wikipedia:Mark_Zuckerberg|Mark Elliot Zuckerberg]]'' was born on May 14, 1984 and raised in Dobbs Ferry, New York. Prior to high school he created tools like ZuckNet and Synapse. Demonstrating a great aptitude for programming, he attended Phillips Exeter Academy before enrolling at Harvard in 2002 and subsequently dropping out in 2004.

==Professional background==
Zuckerberg is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., which is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other digital services. He launched "TheFacebook" on February 4, 2004, while he was studying psychology and computer science at Harvard University. Facebook, originating as a campus directory to connect Harvard students, expanded rapidly, reaching one million users within a year becoming the world’s largest social network by 2009.

==Stance on consumer rights==
Zuckerberg’s stance on consumer rights is marked by a pattern of reactive concessions under legal pressure rather than proactive protection. In 2002, he hacked Harvard's security system and accessed students I.D. photos to populate a website that would allow users to rate students by looks, FaceMash, which was shut down three days later by the University.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bellis |first=Mary |title=The History of Facebook and How It Was Invented |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-facebook-1991791 |website=ThoughtCo.}}</ref> Publicly advocating for limited regulatory reforms, his actions regarding data privacy, antitrust, and civil rights prioritize Meta’s business model over consumer welfare. While he has consistently emphasized user control over privacy settings, his actions and business model reveal a pattern of undermining true data autonomy.

===Public statements supporting consumer control===
*2004, "People have very good control over who can see their information".<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Balakrishnan |first=Anita |last2=Salinas |first2=Sara |last3=Hunter |first3=Matt |date=April 9, 2018 |title=Mark Zuckerberg has been talking about privacy for 15 years - here’s almost everything he’s said |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerbergs-statements-on-privacy-2003-2018.html |work=CNBC}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Salinas |first=Sara |last2=Balakrishnan |first2=Anita |date=December 19, 2018 |title=Mark Zuckerberg has been talking and apologizing about privacy since 2003 - here’s a reminder of what he’s said |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/19/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-privacy-apologies.html |work=CNBC}}</ref>
*2010, "What people want isn’t complete privacy. It’s control over what they share".<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Clifford |first=Catherine |date=October 24, 2019 |title=19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg: ‘Issues about violating people’s privacy don’t seem to be surmountable’ |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/24/19-year-old-mark-zuckerberg-on-privacy-issues-versus-today.html |work=CNBC}}</ref>
*2019, he acknowledged Facebook’s poor privacy reputation, but pledged to build a "privacy focused platform".<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=March 7, 2019 |title=Mark Zuckerberg's privacy blogpost: what he did and didn't say |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/mar/07/mark-zuckerbergs-privacy-blogpost-what-he-said-and-what-he-didnt |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

However, these statements often frame control narrowly, focusing on visibility settings rather than limiting Facebook’s own data collection or third-party sharing.

===Actions undermining control===
*Lax Data Policies: [[The Cambridge Analytica Scandal]] revealed Facebook allowed third-party apps to harvest data from millions without explicit consent. Zuckerberg admitted, "We simply did a bad job".<ref name=":0" /> Emails later suggested he was aware of privacy risks, but prioritized growth.<ref name=":2" />
*Deceptive Practices: The FTC found Facebook violated a 2012 consent decree by misleading users about data sharing.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rushe |first=Dominic |date=June 12, 2019 |title=Facebook emails seem to show Zuckerberg knew of privacy issues, report claims |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jun/12/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-privacy-emails-report |work=The Guardian}}</ref> Attorney General Racine’s lawsuit accused Zuckerberg of personally enabling policies that exposed user data.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=AG Racine Sues Mark Zuckerberg for Failing to Protect Millions of Users' Data, Misleading Privacy Practices |url=https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-sues-mark-zuckerberg-failing-protect}}</ref>

*Opaque Controls: Privacy settings are buried and confusing. As critics note, "[o]ffering tools doesn’t help if they’re hard to find." One such example is ad-targeting controls being hidden under unrelated menus.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Barrett |first=Brian |date=April 10, 2010 |title=Mark Zuckerberg's Privacy Shell Game |url=https://www.wired.com/story/mark-zuckerbergs-privacy-shell-game/ |work=Wired}}</ref>
*Revenue relies on monetizing user data.
**"Zuckerberg’s Law": He predicted users would share twice as much data yearly, pushing openness over privacy.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
**Data Hoarding: Despite [[General Data Protection Regulation]] (GDPR) style pledges, Facebook resists limits on data collection, such as opposing regulations that would curb microtargeting.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wheeler |first=Tom |date=2019-04-03 |title=Mark Zuckerberg’s call for internet rules only goes part way |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mark-zuckerbergs-call-for-internet-rules-only-goes-part-way/ |website=The Brookings Institution}}</ref>

==Major consumer protection incidents==

===Cambridge Analytica Data Scandal===
The Cambridge Analytica scandal came to light when a former employee, Christopher Wylie, leaked internal documents to journalists. These documents demonstrated uninformed consent of personal data collection of up to 87 million Facebook profiles, which served political advertising purposes through Facebook's Open Graph Platform and the Facebook application, "This is Your Digital Life," developed by data scientist Aleksandr Kogan at Global Science Research.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/10/facebook-cambridge-analytica-a-timeline-of-the-data-hijacking-scandal.html "Facebook-Cambridge Analytica: A timeline of the data hijacking scandal"] - cnbc.com - accessed 2025-02-03</ref> The appropriated personal data was used in the US 2016 Presidency for Ted Cruz's and Donald Trump's campaigns.<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/cambridge-analytica-facebook-scandal-trump-cruz-operatives-2018-3 "There's an open secret about Cambridge Analytica in the political world: It doesn't have the 'secret sauce' it claims"] - businessinsider.com - accessed 2025-02-03 </ref>

'''Deceptive Marketing'''

In 2011, the FTC found Facebook guilty of deceptive practices, such as sharing data with third-party apps without user consent and misrepresenting privacy controls. Despite a 20 year consent order, Facebook continued to face allegations of similar violations, including post-2018 complaints about lax data policies.

A photo of Zuckerberg revealed in 2016 that he keeps his own laptop camera covered with tape.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-22 |title=Mark Zuckerberg Puts Tape Over His Webcam |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/mark-zuckerberg-puts-tape-webcam/story?id=40040340 |access-date=2025-03-18 |website=abc News}}</ref>
==Regulatory response==
*Fines: Facebook paid five billion dollars to the FTC for privacy violations and faced lawsuits for deceptive practices.<ref name=":2" />
*Whistleblower Allegations: Internal documents show Zuckerberg prioritized engagement over safety, undermining claims of user control.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />

==Current status==
As of June 2025, Mark Zuckerberg remains the CEO and Chairman of Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook). He continues to lead the company's focus on the ''metaverse'', artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies.

===Recent developments===

*Meta's AI and Metaverse Push''':''' Meta is heavily investing in AI, including large language models (like LLaMA) and AI-driven products across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
*Threads and Social Media: ''Threads'', Meta's answer to X (formerly ''twitter''), continues to grow, integrating deeper with Instagram and Fediverse (decentralized social networking).
*Regulatory and Legal Issues''':''' Zuckerberg and Meta still face scrutiny over data privacy, antitrust concerns, and content moderation policies worldwide.

==Impact on consumer protection==
Mark Zuckerberg has significantly influenced consumer rights, both positively and negatively. His decisions have shaped digital privacy, data control, competition, and transparency, often sparking regulatory and public backlash.
*Data privacy and surveillance
**Negative: Facebook (now Meta) has faced numerous scandals involving unauthorized data collection, including Cambridge Analytica (2018), where 87 million users’ data was harvested without consent.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cadwalladr |first=Carole |last2=Graham-Harrison |first2=Emma |date=March 17, 2018 |title=Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/17/cambridge-analytica-facebook-influence-us-election |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
**Positive: Meta introduced privacy tools and supported GDPR compliance in the EU, after the scandals.
*Algorithmic manipulation and mental health concerns
**Negative: Studies revealed that Meta’s algorithms promoted harmful content, affecting mental health and spreading misinformation.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Georgia |last2=Horwitz |first2=Jeff |last3=Seetharaman |first3=Deepa |date=September 14, 2021 |title=Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-instagram-is-toxic-for-teen-girls-company-documents-show-11631620739 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref>
**Positive: Meta has since introduced wellbeing features, such as screen time limits and content warnings.
*Monopoly power and reduced consumer choice
**Negative: Meta’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp led to antitrust lawsuits, limiting competition and consumer alternatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 9, 2020 |title=FTC Sues Facebook for Illegal Monopolization |url=https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2020/12/ftc-sues-facebook-illegal-monopolization |website=Federal Trade Commission}}</ref>
**Positive: Some argue Meta’s ecosystem (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) provides convenience through integrated services.{{Citation needed|reason=Who is arguing this?}}
*Transparency and accountability
**Negative: Facebook historically resisted transparency, including hiding internal research on harms.<ref name=":6" />
**Positive: Meta now publishes quarterly transparency reports on content moderation and government requests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Transparency Center |url=https://transparency.fb.com/ |website=transparency.fb.com}}</ref>
*Ad targeting and consumer exploitation
**Negative: Facebook’s micro-targeting has been criticized for enabling discriminatory ads <ref>{{Cite news |last=Angwin |first=Julia |last2=Parris Jr. |first2=Terry |date=October 28, 2016 |title=Facebook Lets Advertisers Exclude Users by Race |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/facebook-lets-advertisers-exclude-users-by-race |work=ProPublica}}</ref>and exploiting user behavior.
**Positive: Meta has restricted some ad-targeting categories (e.g., race, religion) in response to criticism.
The impact Mark and Meta have had on consumer rights is mixed. Meta has introduced some privacy and transparency improvements but Zuckerbergs history of data exploitation, monopolistic behavior, and algorithmic harms has significantly weakened consumer trust. Regulatory pressure continues to shape Meta’s policies, but critics argue that more systemic changes are needed.

==References==

[[Category:Individuals]]
<references />

Brother printers causing issues with third party inks

2025-08-12T21:39:47Z

AnOddFellow: Explained what the acronym OEM stands for in the article, tried to improve tone of last sentence in introduction.

{{IncidentCargo
| Company = Brother Industries Ltd.
| Type = Digital restrictions,Firmware lockout
| StartDate = 2025
| Description = Brother pushed firmware updates that degrade non-OEM toner's print quality - forcing consumers to buy more expensive genuine Brother toner
| Status = Active
| ProductLine =
| ArticleType = Product
| Product =
}}

{{ToneWarning}}
[[Brother Industries Ltd.|Brother]] has a reputation for allowing the use of third-party toner and being more consumer friendly than competing printer companies, such as [[HP]]. In recent years, they've implemented firmware updates that deliberately lower print quality when using toner that is not from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). These updates disable color registration & other features, encouraging the use of toner manufactured by Brother over other toner options (citation needed).

==Exploitative practices==
*'''Post-Sale Function Removal''' – Firmware updates retroactively remove previously available features, such as automatic color registration, for users using non-OEM toner.<ref name="reddit">[https://www.reddit.com/r/printers/comments/s9b2eg Brother MFC firmware update - non-genuine toner now disables critical features.]</ref><ref name="reddit-2">[https://www.reddit.com/r/printers/comments/w60687/brother_mfcl3370cdw_firmware_downgrade_needed/ Brother MFC-L3370CDW Firmware Downgrade needed]</ref>
*'''Vendor lock-in via DRM''' – Printers continue to function with third-party toner but print at lower quality unless OEM toner is installed.
*'''Anti-consumer software practices''' – Firmware updates cannot be easily rolled back, preventing consumers from restoring lost functionality.<ref name="github-fwupd">[https://github.com/sedrubal/brother_printer_fwupd/issues/9 Brother printer firmware downgrade discussion.]</ref>
*'''Deceptive practices''' – Printers do not reject third-party toner but intentionally cause a toner failure, which discourages use of third party toners.<ref name="hackernews">[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31860131 Tell HN: Brother printers now locking out non-OEM paraphernalia.]</ref><ref name="reddit-2" />

==How it works==
1. Consumers purchase a '''Brother laser printer''' that previously accepted third-party toner.

2. A '''firmware update (e.g., W1.56)''' is pushed, which does not notify users of any major functional changes.

3. After updating, users notice that:

*Color registration '''fails automatically''', misaligning prints.<ref name="cups">[https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/CUPS/Printer-specific_problems#Updating_the_firmware ArchWiki - Printer-specific problems with Brother.]</ref>
*Brother support acknowledges that installing OEM toner will resolve the issue instantly.<ref name="hackernews" />
*'''Older firmware versions are removed from Brother’s servers''', preventing downgrades.<ref name="github-ohbrother">[https://github.com/CauldronDevelopmentLLC/oh-brother/issues/30 Discussion on firmware rollback for Brother printers.]</ref>

==Impact on Consumer Protection==
*Customers who were able to save money buying third-party toner are now '''coerced into expensive OEM toner purchases'''.
*Brother’s '''positive reputation''' for allowing third-party toner is tarnished.
*'''No prior warning''' was given to consumers before these updates were installed.
*Workarounds involve '''blocking firmware updates''' or attempting '''risky firmware downgrades''', both of which Brother actively discourages.

==Brother's response==
On March 5th 2025, following the publication of a video on the Louis Rossmann YouTube channel, Brother addressed the issue, in a response given to Ars Technica, stating the following <ref name="ars-response">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/brother-denies-using-firmware-updates-to-brick-printers-with-third-party-ink/ Brother denies using firmware updates to brick printers with third-party ink]</ref>
<blockquote>
We are aware of the recent false claims suggesting that a Brother firmware update may have restricted the use of third-party ink cartridges. Please be assured that Brother firmware updates do not block the use of third-party ink in our machines.
</blockquote>
They also detailed that
<blockquote>
Brother printers do not intentionally degrade print quality based on whether a Brother Genuine or non-genuine ink/ toner cartridge is used. Brother cannot verify the quality of printing that will result when using a third-party compatible with a Brother printer.
</blockquote>
Finally they attributed the confusion from consumers to
<blockquote>
Brother encourages the use of Brother Genuine ink and toner for optimal performance and reliability, and it is standard practice that we perform a Brother [G]enuine check when troubleshooting a Brother printer. Compatible supplies may range in quality, and in order to verify that a printer is working properly, we like to troubleshoot with Brother Genuine supplies. We believe this check in the process may have led to a misunderstanding[,] but as we confirmed, the firmware update would not be responsible for the degradation of quality or removal of printer features.
</blockquote>
==User evidence & reports==
===Hacker News Discussion (2022)===
*Users noticed that '''Brother printers accepted third-party toner but deliberately degraded print quality'''.
*One user stated:
<blockquote>''Brother seems to be apparently accepting the ink, but then purposefully making the print quality poorer.''<ref name="hackernews" /></blockquote>

===Reddit reports (r/printers)===
*A '''firmware update on the Brother MFC-3750''' '''disabled automatic color registration''' when third-party toner was detected.<ref name="reddit" />
*A Brother support agent confirmed that installing OEM toner would "fix" the issue instantly, proving that the printer was being artificially restricted.

===GitHub developer investigation===
*A project analyzing '''Brother firmware updates''' discovered that '''older firmware versions were removed from Brother’s servers''', making it impossible for users to roll back to a working version.<ref name="github-fwupd" />
*Another GitHub discussion showed that '''Brother firmware updates increasingly lock out more non-Brother toner cartridges with each new update!'''<ref name="github-ohbrother" />
*This is similar to [[HP Dynamic Security]] which block non-OEM cartridges.

===Quality Example===
[[File:Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32 before registration deleted.png|alt=Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32, before deletion of colour registration.|none|thumb|800x800px|'''Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32, before deletion of colour registration.''']]

==Comparison to other industry abuses==
{| class="wikitable"
!Company!!Tactic Used
|-
|'''HP'''||"Dynamic Security" firmware updates blocking non-OEM ink
|-
|'''Epson'''||Ink expiration DRM, even when cartridges are full
|-
|'''Canon'''||Firmware updates that disable scanning when ink is low
|-
|'''Brother'''||Print degradation for non-OEM toner users
|}

==Potential legal implications==
Deliberate function removal '''after purchase''' may qualify as '''deceptive trade practices''' in multiple jurisdictions.

==Mitigations available to users==
#'''Avoid Firmware Updates''' – Disable auto-updates to prevent forced function removal. This may, however, lead to security risks.
#'''Try to downgrade''' – Some users have managed to roll back firmware, though this is increasingly difficult.<ref name="github-ohbrother" />
#'''HL-L9310CDW (with firmware main 1.69, sub 1.31):''' On the menu of the printer, delete the colour registration to improve quality by reducing the misalignment of the individual colours. However, the best solution is to have a configuration option to set the offset individual (X, Y) for each colour with the smallest possible increment, perhaps through an external (CUPS) printer driver.

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Brother]]
[[Category:Digital Restrictions]]
[[Category:Vendor Lock-in]]
[[Category:Post-Sale Firmware Lockouts]]