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	<updated>2026-04-29T13:07:28Z</updated>
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	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8514</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8514"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T19:09:52Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: too buggy, i give up&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8513</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8513"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T19:07:10Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_9=Users IP address and details of the content being downloaded is shared third-party content distribution networks.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
==Anti cheat software==&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the nature of how anti-cheat software functions, it&#039;s not disclosed which information may be accessed. The software may operate in the background, even during single player games.&lt;br /&gt;
*Any programs or files running on the users device may be downloaded by the company.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;tcook&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/steamed-valve-software-battles-videogame-cheaters|title=Steamed: Valve Software Battles Video-game Cheaters|date=February 17, 2010|first=David|last=Kushner|website=IEEE Spectrum|publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
*In 2014, users discovered the software was accessing the local DNS cache, raising concerns the company was snooping on their internet history.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;gabetrust&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Newell|first=Gabe|date=2014-02-17|title=Valve, VAC, and trust|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/|publisher=Reddit}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Warr|first=Philippa|date=February 18, 2014|title=Valve couldn&#039;t care less what porn you watch (Wired UK)|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508174936/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat|archive-date=May 8, 2014|website=Wired.co.uk|publisher=Condé Nast Publications|df=mdy-all}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Scullion|first=Chris|date=February 18, 2014|title=Valve rejects claims it receives players&#039; browsing history|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305100503/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/|archive-date=March 5, 2014|website=Computerandvideogames.com|publisher=Future Publishing}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
==References==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8512</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8512"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T19:04:31Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: ip detail&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
==Anti cheat software==&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the nature of how anti-cheat software functions, it&#039;s not disclosed which information may be accessed. The software may operate in the background, even during single player games.&lt;br /&gt;
*Any programs or files running on the users device may be downloaded by the company.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;tcook&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/steamed-valve-software-battles-videogame-cheaters|title=Steamed: Valve Software Battles Video-game Cheaters|date=February 17, 2010|first=David|last=Kushner|website=IEEE Spectrum|publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
*In 2014, users discovered the software was accessing the local DNS cache, raising concerns the company was snooping on their internet history.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;gabetrust&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Newell|first=Gabe|date=2014-02-17|title=Valve, VAC, and trust|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/|publisher=Reddit}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Warr|first=Philippa|date=February 18, 2014|title=Valve couldn&#039;t care less what porn you watch (Wired UK)|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508174936/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat|archive-date=May 8, 2014|website=Wired.co.uk|publisher=Condé Nast Publications|df=mdy-all}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web|last=Scullion|first=Chris|date=February 18, 2014|title=Valve rejects claims it receives players&#039; browsing history|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305100503/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/|archive-date=March 5, 2014|website=Computerandvideogames.com|publisher=Future Publishing}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
==References==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8511</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8511"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T19:01:07Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==Anti cheat software==&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the nature of how anti-cheat software functions, it&#039;s not disclosed which information may be accessed. The software may operate in the background, even during single player games.&lt;br /&gt;
*Any programs or files running on the users device may be downloaded by the company.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;tcook&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/steamed-valve-software-battles-videogame-cheaters|title=Steamed: Valve Software Battles Video-game Cheaters|date=February 17, 2010|first=David |last=Kushner |website=IEEE Spectrum| publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
*In 2014, users discovered the software was accessing the local DNS cache, raising concerns the company was snooping on their internet history.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;gabetrust&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Newell |first=Gabe |date=2014-02-17 |title=Valve, VAC, and trust |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/ |publisher=Reddit}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Warr |first=Philippa |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Valve couldn&#039;t care less what porn you watch (Wired UK) |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508174936/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |website=Wired.co.uk |publisher=Condé Nast Publications |df=mdy-all}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Scullion |first=Chris |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Valve rejects claims it receives players&#039; browsing history |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305100503/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/ |archive-date=March 5, 2014 |website=Computerandvideogames.com |publisher=Future Publishing}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8510</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8510"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T18:58:06Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: note ip sharing&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;Anti-cheat software&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;==&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the nature of how anti-cheat software functions, it&#039;s not disclosed which information may be accessed.&lt;br /&gt;
*Any programs running on the users device may be downloaded by the company.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;tcook&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/steamed-valve-software-battles-videogame-cheaters|title=Steamed: Valve Software Battles Video-game Cheaters|date=February 17, 2010|first=David |last=Kushner |website=IEEE Spectrum| publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
*In 2014, users discovered the software was accessing the local DNS cache, raising concerns the company was snooping on their internet history.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;gabetrust&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Newell |first=Gabe |date=2014-02-17 |title=Valve, VAC, and trust |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/ |publisher=Reddit}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Warr |first=Philippa |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Valve couldn&#039;t care less what porn you watch (Wired UK) |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508174936/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |website=Wired.co.uk |publisher=Condé Nast Publications |df=mdy-all}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Scullion |first=Chris |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Valve rejects claims it receives players&#039; browsing history |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305100503/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/ |archive-date=March 5, 2014 |website=Computerandvideogames.com |publisher=Future Publishing}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==References==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8508</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8508"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T18:46:15Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: anti cheat spyware info&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== &amp;lt;span&amp;gt;Anti-cheat software&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt; ==&lt;br /&gt;
Due to the nature of how anti-cheat software functions, it&#039;s not disclosed which information may be accessed.&lt;br /&gt;
*Any programs running on the users device may be downloaded by the company.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;tcook&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{cite web|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/steamed-valve-software-battles-videogame-cheaters|title=Steamed: Valve Software Battles Video-game Cheaters|date=February 17, 2010|first=David |last=Kushner |website=IEEE Spectrum| publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
*In 2014, users discovered the software was accessing the local DNS cache, raising concerns the company was snooping on their internet history.&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;gabetrust&amp;quot;&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Newell |first=Gabe |date=2014-02-17 |title=Valve, VAC, and trust |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/ |publisher=Reddit}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Warr |first=Philippa |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Valve couldn&#039;t care less what porn you watch (Wired UK) |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508174936/http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/18/valve-anti-cheat |archive-date=May 8, 2014 |website=Wired.co.uk |publisher=Condé Nast Publications |df=mdy-all}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;{{Cite web |last=Scullion |first=Chris |date=February 18, 2014 |title=Valve rejects claims it receives players&#039; browsing history |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305100503/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/450001/valve-rejects-claims-it-receives-players-browsing-history/ |archive-date=March 5, 2014 |website=Computerandvideogames.com |publisher=Future Publishing}}&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==References==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<id>https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8507</id>
		<title>Steam</title>
		<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://consumerrights.wiki/index.php?title=Steam&amp;diff=8507"/>
		<updated>2025-02-08T18:43:31Z</updated>

		<summary type="html">&lt;p&gt;Own nothing and be happy: wip&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;div&gt;{{ProductPage&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_logo=Steam.png&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_key=Release Year&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_1_value=2003&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_key=Product Type&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_2_value=Video-game distribution platform&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_key=In Production&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_3_value=Yes&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_key=Official Website&lt;br /&gt;
|infobox_4_value=https://store.steampowered.com&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|description=&#039;&#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;&#039; is a digital storefront and service for video-game distribution, operated by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]]. Launched in 2003, it has grown to become the largest digital-distribution platform for PC gaming, with over 130 million monthly active users as of 2024. The platform offers services for [[digital rights management]] (DRM), server hosting, video streaming, and social networking.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;[https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/about &amp;quot;At Valve we make games, Steam, and hardware.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Valve Corporation&#039;&#039;.  2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_1=Collects extensive personal data including email, location, payment details, and device information&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ &amp;quot;Privacy Policy Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. February 14, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_2=Records and stores all user communications through platform features&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_3=Keeps certain user data indefinitely for &amp;quot;gameplay consistency&amp;quot; even after account deletion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_4=Tracks gaming behavior including preferences, progress, playtime, and device usage&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_5=Shares user data with game developers and third-party service providers&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_6=Makes user profile data publicly available through Steamworks API&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_7=Uses cookies and similar technologies for tracking across websites&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_privacy_8=Retains transaction data for up to 10 years after account closure&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_1=Users do not own purchased games, only receive limited licenses&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot;&amp;gt;[https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement &amp;quot;Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;Steam&#039;&#039;. September 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_2=Can terminate access to paid content at Valve&#039;s discretion&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_3=No right to transfer or resell purchased games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_4=Imposes regional restrictions on game activation and playing&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_5=Can unilaterally modify terms with 30-day notice&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_6=Mandatory client updates required to access library&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_7=Users must accept all changes to maintain access to purchased content&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_freedom_8=No option to opt out of core data collection while using service&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_1=Provides clear refund policy for games (any game played less than 2 hours within 14 days)&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_2=It will mainly reference instances where the product prevents inspection or is intentionally confusing&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_3=Maintains detailed system requirements information for all games&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_4=Offers comprehensive privacy policy in accessible language&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_5=Unclear processes for account termination and data removal&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_6=Limited transparency about content moderation decisions&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;subscriber-agreement&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_7=Vague about specific data retention timeframes&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
|summary_transparency_8=No clear disclosure of recommendation algorithm factors&amp;lt;ref name=&amp;quot;privacy-policy&amp;quot; /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_title=Modification to terms-of-service&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_date=Sep. 2024&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_1_text=&amp;lt;!-- NOTICE: This is somewhat &#039;pro-Steam&#039; for incidents intended to highlight things consumers should watch out for. If you feel the need, you may remove this incident. However, please don&#039;t replace it with the Wolfire Games class action (Valve won that case). It will take more work and citations to put a substantial incident here than some other services/companies. --&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
In September 2024, Steam implemented significant changes to its subscriber agreement that altered user rights and game ownership terms. Additionally, it removed [[Forced Arbitration|forced arbitration]] from the Steam Subscriber Agreement.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Carpenter, Nicole (September 27, 2024). [https://www.polygon.com/explained/457557/valve-arbitration-steam-subscriber-agreements &amp;quot;Valve removes arbitration from its Steam agreements — here&#039;s what that means for you&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Polygon&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Rossmann, Louis (September 27, 2024). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f81qXxggo8 &amp;quot;Steam altered the terms of the sale; you&#039;ll be happy they altered it further!&amp;quot;] &#039;&#039;YouTube&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt; Key changes included:&lt;br /&gt;
*Enhanced ability to terminate accounts for violations&lt;br /&gt;
*Additional data collection and sharing provisions&lt;br /&gt;
*Modified dispute resolution procedures&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_title=Customer database hack&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_date=Oct. 2011&lt;br /&gt;
|incidents_2_text=In October 2011, Valve was forced to temporarily close the Steam Community forums following security-breach concerns. Days later, the company confirmed that hackers had compromised one of its customer databases. The compromised database contained user information, including encrypted credit-card numbers, billing addresses, purchase histories, email addresses, and encrypted passwords for Steam accounts.&amp;lt;ref&amp;gt;Johnson, Casey (November 10, 2011). [https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2011/11/valve-confirms-steam-hack-credit-cards-personal-info-may-be-stolen/ &amp;quot;Valve confirms Steam hack: credit cards, personal info may be stolen&amp;quot;]. &#039;&#039;Ars Technica&#039;&#039;. Retrieved January 17, 2025.&amp;lt;/ref&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
At the time of disclosure, Valve stated they had no evidence that the encrypted credit-card numbers or personally identifying information had been taken, nor was there evidence that the encryption on the credit-card numbers or passwords had been cracked. Nevertheless, they advised users to closely monitor their credit-card activity and statements as a precautionary measure.&lt;br /&gt;
}}&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
== &amp;lt;span&amp;gt;Anti-cheat software&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt; ==&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
==References==&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/span&amp;gt;&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;lt;references /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Services]]&lt;br /&gt;
[[Category:Valve Corporation]]&lt;/div&gt;</summary>
		<author><name>Own nothing and be happy</name></author>
	</entry>
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