Collective Shout: Difference between revisions
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Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009 by its current director, {{Wplink|Melinda Tankard Reist}}. It identifies itself as "''A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualization 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=20 Jul 2025 |access-date=7 Aug 2025 |work=Collective Shout}}</ref> | Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009 by its current director, {{Wplink|Melinda Tankard Reist}}. It identifies itself as "''A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualization 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=20 Jul 2025 |access-date=7 Aug 2025 |work=Collective Shout}}</ref> | ||
The activist group became prominent in 2025 after their campaign against payment processors caused online gaming platforms [[Steam]] and [[Itch.io]] to de-list hundreds of games that | The activist group became prominent in 2025 after their campaign against payment processors caused online gaming platforms [[Steam]] and [[Itch.io]] to de-list hundreds of games that are believed to victimize 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> While the advocacy is based in Australia, the effects of this movement affected other countries as well. This action also affected countries outside of Australia.{{Citation needed}} | ||
Some news and media outlets have expressed concern that the organization's censorship of adult content in the video game industry negatively impacts creative freedom.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farokhmanesh |first=Megan |date=30 Jul 2025 |title=Gamers Are Furious About the Censorship of NSFW Games—and They’re Fighting Back |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823055403/https://www.wired.com/story/gamers-are-furious-about-the-censorship-of-nsfw-games-and-theyre-fighting-back |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250823055403/https://www.wired.com/story/gamers-are-furious-about-the-censorship-of-nsfw-games-and-theyre-fighting-back/ |archive-date=23 Aug 2025 |access-date=23 Aug 2025 |work=WIRED}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dodds |first=Io |date=18 Aug 2025 |title=‘Financial companies shouldn’t be in this position’: How more than 20,000 NSFW video games fell under censorship |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/video-game-censorship-visa-mastercard-b2809867.html |website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Marley |date=2 Aug 2025 |title=This Advocacy Group is Threatening Video Games as We Know It |url=https://www.cbr.com/collective-shout-video-game-censorship/ |website=CBR}}</ref> Collective Shout has also been criticized across social media for what many<sup>[ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions who?] ]</sup> see as a push towards censorship and their usage of questionable methods.{{Citation needed}} | |||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
===Protest against ''Grand Theft Auto V''=== | ===Protest against ''Grand Theft Auto V''=== | ||
In 2014, the group protested | In 2014, the group protested ''{{Wplink|Grand Theft Auto V}}'' on grounds that the video game encouraged players to "murder women for entertainment."<ref name=":0" /> The video 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=4 Dec 2014}}</ref> | ||
===Pressure campaign against payment processors=== | ===Pressure campaign against payment processors=== | ||
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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 Jul 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 Jul 2025 |access-date=18 Jul 2025 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite news |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |date=22 Jul 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 Jul 2025 |work=Rock Paper Shotgun}}</ref> | 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 Jul 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 Jul 2025 |access-date=18 Jul 2025 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite news |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |date=22 Jul 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 Jul 2025 |work=Rock Paper Shotgun}}</ref> | ||
Itch.io responded by de-indexing | Itch.io responded by de-indexing games with explicit 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=24 Jul 2025}}</ref> On July 31, they re-indexed free games with explicit content.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content|title=Reindexing adult NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=31 Jul 2025}}</ref> | ||
De-indexing of | De-indexing continued on August 10th, this time of games with explicit content and of LGBTQ+ games without explicit content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lazine |first=Mira |title='I feel violated' - Queer Creators Lose Livelihoods in Itch.io Bans |url=https://transnews.network/p/i-feel-violated-queer-creators-lose-livelihoods-in-itch-io-bans |website=Trans News Network |date=9 Aug 2025 |access-date=24 Aug 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819013331/https://transnews.network/p/i-feel-violated-queer-creators-lose-livelihoods-in-itch-io-bans |archive-date=19 Aug 2025}}</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=20 Jul 2025 |access-date=7 Aug 2025 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref><ref name="CBCCards">{{Cite news |last=Ore |first=Jonathan |date=31 Jul 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 Aug 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=20 Jul 2025 |access-date=7 Aug 2025 |website=Collective Shout}}</ref><ref name="CBCCards">{{Cite news |last=Ore |first=Jonathan |date=31 Jul 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 Aug 2025 |work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]}}</ref> | ||
Alongside | Alongside explicit content, the group also expressed a desire to remove ''{{Wplink|Detroit: Become Human}}'' 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 ''{{Wplink|Vice (magazine)|Vice}}'' allegedly instructed certain articles related to Collective Shout to be removed from their website | The owner of the journalism website ''{{Wplink|Vice (magazine)|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=16 Aug 2025}}</ref> | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 18:14, 27 August 2025
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Collective Shout
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2009 |
| Legal structure | Private |
| Industry | Lobbying, Activism |
| Official website | https://www.collectiveshout.org/ |
Collective Shout is an Australian activist group founded in 2009 by its current director, Melinda Tankard Reist. It identifies itself as "A grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualization of girls in media, advertising and popular culture".[1]
The activist group became prominent in 2025 after their campaign against payment processors caused online gaming platforms Steam and Itch.io to de-list hundreds of games that are believed to victimize women.[2] While the advocacy is based in Australia, the effects of this movement affected other countries as well. This action also affected countries outside of Australia.[citation needed]
Some news and media outlets have expressed concern that the organization's censorship of adult content in the video game industry negatively impacts creative freedom.[3][4][5] Collective Shout has also been criticized across social media for what many[ who? ] see as a push towards censorship and their usage of questionable methods.[citation needed]
Incidents
Protest against Grand Theft Auto V
In 2014, the group protested Grand Theft Auto V on grounds that the video game encouraged players to "murder women for entertainment."[6] The video game was banned from two Australian department stores later that year.[6]
Pressure campaign against 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.[7][8]
Itch.io responded by de-indexing games with explicit content on July 24.[9] On July 31, they re-indexed free games with explicit content.[10]
De-indexing continued on August 10th, this time of games with explicit content and of LGBTQ+ games without explicit content.[11]
The group claims to have lobbied payment processors after sending 3,000 emails to Steam and receiving no response.[12][13]
Alongside explicit content, the group also expressed a desire to remove Detroit: Become Human from gaming platforms for depictions of physical abuse against women and children.[14]
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.[15]
See also
References
- ↑ "Collective Shout". Collective Shout. Archived from the original on 20 Jul 2025. Retrieved 7 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Taylor, Josh (2025-07-28). "Mastercard and Visa face backlash after hundreds of adult games removed from online stores Steam and Itch.io". The Guardian.
- ↑ Farokhmanesh, Megan (30 Jul 2025). "Gamers Are Furious About the Censorship of NSFW Games—and They're Fighting Back". WIRED. Archived from the original on 23 Aug 2025. Retrieved 23 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Dodds, Io (18 Aug 2025). "'Financial companies shouldn't be in this position': How more than 20,000 NSFW video games fell under censorship". The Independent.
- ↑ Hughes, Marley (2 Aug 2025). "This Advocacy Group is Threatening Video Games as We Know It". CBR.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "'Sexually violent' GTA 5 banned from Australian stores". BBC. 4 Dec 2014.
- ↑ Bita, Natasha (15 Jul 2025). "Child safety group finds 500 online 'games' role-playing rape and incest". The Australian. Archived from the original on 18 Jul 2025. Retrieved 18 Jul 2025.
- ↑ Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (22 Jul 2025). "Anti-porn group who tried to ban GTA 5 claim credit for Steam's sex game crackdown". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 23 Jul 2025.
- ↑ "Update on NSFW content". Itch.io. 24 Jul 2025.
- ↑ "Reindexing adult NSFW content". Itch.io. 31 Jul 2025.
- ↑ Lazine, Mira (9 Aug 2025). "'I feel violated' - Queer Creators Lose Livelihoods in Itch.io Bans". Trans News Network. Archived from the original on 19 Aug 2025. Retrieved 24 Aug 2025.
- ↑ "Steam at Collective Shout". Collective Shout. Archived from the original on 20 Jul 2025. Retrieved 7 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Ore, Jonathan (31 Jul 2025). "How an anti-porn lobby on payment processors censored thousands of video games". CBC. Retrieved 1 Aug 2025.
- ↑ Barbe, Rebecca (6 Dec 2017). "Stop video game Detroit: Become Human, depicting child abuse being sold in Australia". change.org. Retrieved 16 Aug 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "After payment processors prompt removal of Steam games, journalists investigating the censorship resign". notebookcheck.net. 16 Aug 2025.