Petition against payment processors who pushed Steam games ban surpasses 205,000 signatories
The petition, created by a user identified as Zero Ryoko, has seen explosive growth in recent days, surging from 70,000 to over 205,000 signatures in just 5 days. This momentum was significantly amplified on July 21 when a post publicizing the campaign was reshared on X by Elon Musk, helping bring mainstream attention to the cause.
The fire ignited after Valve, the owner of the Steam platform, removed quite a number of adult games, stating it was complying with the guidelines of its payment processors. The trend has since spread to Itch.io, forcing it to censor NSFW games.
The petition directly accuses Visa and Mastercard of “blatant hypocrisy” in their self-appointed position as global censors. “Entire genres of books, games, films, and artwork are being demonetized or deplatformed — not because they're illegal, but because they offend the personal values of executives or activist groups,” the petition states. It argues that while these companies crack down on fictional content, they have been slow to act on platforms where real-world illegal activities have been reported.
The petitioner laid out four key demands:
- An end to the censorship of legal fictional content.
- Rejection of influence from activist groups that promote “moral panic.”
- Full transparency regarding the rationale behind content restrictions.
- The establishment of a fair appeal process for creators whose work is penalized.
Though many of the initial games banned on Steam were low-quality, the petitioners and their supporters are concerned about an escalation. The games targeted were mostly those considered to promote or encourage sexual violence or sexual manipulation.
This situation has reignited a debate about the immense, behind-the-scenes power that a few financial companies wield over online expression. Consumer advocates have long accused Visa and Mastercard of holding a virtual monopoly over the digital payment ecosystem, giving them the ability to act as de facto regulators.
The petition has been updated to protest against the age-verification restrictions introduced by platforms like YouTube, citing privacy concerns, as these verifications require government-issued IDs and photographs.
The influence of third-party activist groups has also come to media attention, as highlighted in our update earlier. A previous report by Vice Media journalist Ana Valens highlighted the role of the Australian group Collective Shout in pressuring payment processors.
This petition's success in mobilizing over 205,000 signatories has undeniably cast a spotlight on the often-unseen forces shaping what content is allowed in the digital world. Whether the pressure will force the hand of these self-ordained regulators remains to be seen.
The influence of third-party activist groups has also come to media attention, as highlighted in our update earlier. A previous report by Vice Media journalist Ana Valens highlighted the role of the Australian group Collective Shout in pressuring payment processors.
This petition's success in mobilizing over 205,000 signatories has undeniably cast a spotlight on the often-unseen forces shaping what content is allowed in the digital world. Whether the pressure will force the hand of these self-ordained regulators remains to be seen.
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