Collective Shout

2025-08-19T22:31:30Z

KyloTheFox: Replaced the word "sexualisation," to "eroticizing" in the seconded sentence of first paragraph at beginning of article. Also the seconded Sentence in paragraph 2 in this article, from "sexualise" to "Eroticize." In the attempt to help with the Unacceptable Tone/Word Usage.

{{ToneWarning}}
{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = Collective Shout
| Type = Private
| Founded = 2009
| Industry = Lobbying, Activism
| Official Website = https://www.collectiveshout.org/
| Logo = Collective-shout-logo.png
}}

Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009. It identifies itself as "''A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and eroticizing of girls in media, advertising and popular culture''".<ref>{{Cite news |title=Collective Shout |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/faq |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250720102043/https://www.collectiveshout.org/faq |archive-date=2025-07-20 |access-date=2025-08-07 |work=Collective Shout}}</ref>

The activist group became prominent in 2025 after their campaign against payment processors to cause online gaming platforms [[Steam]] and [[Itch.io]] to de-list hundreds of games, claiming that the games eroticize women.<ref>{{cite web|first=Josh|last=Taylor|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/29/mastercard-visa-backlash-adult-games-removed-online-stores-steam-itchio-ntwnfb|title=Mastercard and Visa face backlash after hundreds of adult games removed from online stores Steam and Itch.io|website=The Guardian|date=2025-07-28}}</ref> This action also affected countries outside of Australia.

Collective Shout has been widely criticized across social media for what many see as a push towards censorship and their usage of questionable methods.

==Incidents==

===Protest against ''Grand Theft Auto V''===

In 2014, the group protested the game ''Grand Theft Auto V'', stating that the game encouraged players to "murder women for entertainment."<ref name=":0" /> The game was banned from two Australian department stores later that year.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30328314|title='Sexually violent' GTA 5 banned from Australian stores|website=BBC|date=2014-12-04}}</ref>

===Pressure campaign against payment processors===
''Main article: [[Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam|Valve complying with ISPs and payment processors]]''

In July 2025, Collective Shout launched a public campaign "demanding credit card companies and PayPal block payments" for games on Steam and Itch.io.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Bita |first=Natasha |date=15 July 2025 |title=Child safety group finds 500 online 'games' role-playing rape and incest |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/education/child-safety-group-finds-500-online-games-roleplaying-rape-and-incest/news-story/b30c59f85ff22934844269cb3beff538 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/koDk8 |archive-date=18 July 2025 |access-date=18 July 2025 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite news |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |date=22 July 2025 |title=Anti-porn group who tried to ban GTA 5 claim credit for Steam's sex game crackdown |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/anti-porn-group-who-tried-to-ban-gta-5-claim-credit-for-steams-sex-game-crackdown |access-date=23 July 2025 |work=Rock Paper Shotgun}}</ref>

Itch.io responded by de-indexing NSFW content on July 24.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content|title=Update on NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-24}}</ref> Itch.io re-indexed free NSFW content on July 31.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content|title=Reindexing adult NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-31}}</ref>

De-indexing of NSFW content, as well as SFW LGBTQ+ content, continued on Itch.io on August 10th.[https://transnews.network/p/i-feel-violated-queer-creators-lose-livelihoods-in-itch-io-bans]

The group claims to have lobbied payment processors after sending 3,000 emails to Steam and receiving no response.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam at Collective Shout |url=https://www.collectiveshout.org/tags/steam |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250720103220/https://www.collectiveshout.org/tags/steam |archive-date=2025-07-20 |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref><ref name="CBCCards">{{Cite news |last=Ore |first=Jonathan |date=31 July 2025 |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=1 August 2025 |work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]}}</ref>

Alongside NSFW content, the group also expressed desire to remove '''Detroit: Become Human''<nowiki/>' from gaming platforms, for depictions of physical abuse against women and children.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barbe |first=Rebecca |date=6 Dec 2017 |title=Stop video game Detroit: Become Human, depicting child abuse being sold in Australia |url=https://www.change.org/p/the-hon-christian-porter-mp-stop-video-game-depicting-child-abuse-being-sold-in-australia |url-status=live |access-date=16 Aug 2025 |website=change.org}}</ref>

The owner of the journalism website Vice allegedly instructed certain articles related to Collective Shout to be removed from their website, due to "controversial subject matter." The author of the articles and several of her co-workers resigned soon afterwards in protest. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.notebookcheck.net/After-payment-processors-prompt-removal-of-Steam-games-journalists-investigating-the-censorship-resign.1063259.0.html|title=After payment processors prompt removal of Steam games, journalists investigating the censorship resign|website=notebookcheck.net|date=2025-08-16}}</ref>

===Petition take-down attempts===
The group has also attempted to take down various petitions critiquing their actions, claiming them to be defamatory.{{Citation needed}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-08 |title=Change.org removes petition against Collective Shout. |url=https://x.com/Pirat_Nation/status/1953661001980690599 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also==

*[[Steam]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]

Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Collective Shout