Changed the cuties section and added the facts about the dangerous power were giving to payment processors
PsyChimp (talk | contribs)
m Removed some inflammatory speech and information not pertaining to consumer rights. Also fixed some grammatical errors and typos.
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Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009. It identifies itself as "''A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualisation 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>
Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009. It identifies itself as "''A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualisation 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 [[Steam]] and [[Itch.io]] to delist hundreds of games, claiming that the games sexualise 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.   
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 sexualise 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.  
Collective Shout has been widely criticized across social media for what many see as a push towards censorship and their usage of questionable methods.  
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===Protest against ''Grand Theft Auto V''===
===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="RPSCS" /> The game was later banned from two Australian department stores that year.<ref>{{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>
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 later banned from two Australian department stores 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===
===Pressure campaign against payment processors===
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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>
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 as well as SFW LGBTQ+ content continued on Itch.io reportet on August 10th.[https://transnews.network/p/i-feel-violated-queer-creators-lose-livelihoods-in-itch-io-bans]
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>
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 content such as 'Detroit: Become Human'<!-- https://80.lv/articles/no-mouthwashing-wasn-t-removed-from-itch-io-because-of-the-nsfw-purge --> from gaming platforms, mainly for their depicted 'violence against women' alone.<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>
Alongside NSFW content, the group also expressed desire to remove '''Detroit: Become Human''<nowiki/>'<!-- https://80.lv/articles/no-mouthwashing-wasn-t-removed-from-itch-io-because-of-the-nsfw-purge --> 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 a journalist 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>
The owner of a journalist 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>


Note that this gives the power to an American corporation to ban products worldwide as Visa accounts for 37% of all credit cards in circulation, while Mastercard makes up 32% of all credit cards.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Credit and Debit Card Market Share by Network and Issuer |url=https://www.fool.com/money/research/credit-debit-card-market-share-network-issuer/#:~:text=Credit%20card%20market%20share%20by,and%20American%20Express%20lag%20behind. |url-status=live |work=Motley Fool Money |pages=1}}</ref>
===Petition take-down attempts===
 
===Critic petitions takedown attempt===
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>
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>
===Defense of questionable child acting===
Collective shout has been taking a favorable stance on the controversial film Cuties arguing that it portrays the protagonists as falsely thinking that sexualization of their performances are to their freedom.And the film tries to shine light on this issue.The general public agrees that the sexualization of the film is unreasonable given the characters ages.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Over the last week many supporters... - Melinda Tankard Reist {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/100044384471209/posts/10158710725359791/ |website=Facebook |publication-date=2020-08-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chopping |first=Renee K. |date=2025-07-23 |title=Gamers are dredging up our support of Netflix film 'Cuties' in an attempt to paint us as “pro-exploitation”... |url=https://x.com/reneechopping/status/1947819118302007622 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Collective Shout twitter account itself posted a short tweet about the film calling it "ethically problematic but a powerful protest".But the tweet is deleted and the web archives of the tweet doesnt seem to work.<ref>https://preview.redd.it/people-are-missing-a-lot-of-information-on-collective-shout-v0-qthi6i66xbef1.png?width=680&format=png&auto=webp&s=f6fb2f3ef9250378d98dcb42b4fbc350279e9162<nowiki/>A screenshot of the tweet floats around the internet but i dont know if this counts as a citation</ref>
==See also==
==See also==