As a seasoned gamer with decades under my belt, I’ve witnessed the evolution of gaming platforms like Steam, and I can’t help but feel a mix of emotions upon reading this report. On one hand, it’s disheartening to see such extremist and hateful content on a platform that once felt like a safe haven for gamers worldwide. On the other, I understand the complexities that come with moderating a global community as vast as Steam’s.
As a gamer myself, I’ve noticed that the folks managing Steam service aren’t typically heavy-handed with moderation. Some people might not be fond of this approach. The Anti-Defamation League, an organization in the U.S. focused on eliminating discrimination, has taken notice and voiced concern. Consequently, they’ve produced a detailed report where they allege that Valve allows extremist and hateful content to persist on Steam.
The team undertook extensive investigations, examining a massive dataset consisting of:
- In total, as a result of these analyses, it was possible to identify 1.83 million unique extremist or hate-filled pieces of content.
- The number seems very high, but the definition of such content used by the Anti-Defamation League is very broad. It turns out that the most common symbol of this type (accounting for as much as 54.6% of cases) is Pepe the Frog.
- The organization classified this character as a hate symbol in 2016 due to its frequent use by the alt-right movement. However, the group admitted that most instances of Pepe appearing online have nothing to do with hatred. So it’s strange to ignore this in a report on Steam.
The oversensitivity associated with the meme frog doesn’t mean that Valve doesn’t have a problem. During the research, many other symbols were found, which are undoubtedly extremist. For example, 9.1% of them were swastikas and it’s not about screenshots from historical games. References were also often made to terrorist organizations such as ISIS or Hezbollah, or images of racist murderers were used, including Brenton Tarrant or Anders Breivik, as well as their ideology was promoted.
The report alleges that Valve lacks a moderation policy to ban extreme and discriminatory content; however, it is important to note that the Steamworks guidelines explicitly forbid such content from being published on Steam.
Speech that advocates for prejudice, aggression, or unequal treatment towards individuals or communities due to factors such as race, faith, sex, age, physical ability, or sexual identity.
The Anti-Defamation League notes that Valve has shown it can handle moderation competently when necessary. Yet, it seems they only address such issues on a case-by-case basis, and there are no broader strategies in place to prevent similar content from being published on Steam. So far, Valve hasn’t addressed these accusations.
Previously, the company encountered a similar issue. So far, they haven’t taken decisive action to address it. This isn’t unexpected since Valve tends to handle this subject with flexibility. The reason is that within the gaming community, these contentious symbols are often seen as pranks or jokes rather than genuine expressions of extremism.
It can be challenging to differentiate between harmless situations and potentially hazardous ones, given that the company has a limited number of moderators due to most employees being engaged in other tasks. Valve’s workforce is approximately 300-400 strong, but the majority are not focused on moderation duties.
Read More
- SUI PREDICTION. SUI cryptocurrency
- „People who loved Dishonored and Prey are going to feel very at home.” Arkane veteran sparks appetite for new, untitled RPG
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- Destiny 2: A Closer Look at the Proposed In-Game Mailbox System
- Clash Royale Deck Discussion: Strategies and Sentiments from the Community
- Jennifer Love Hewitt Made a Christmas Movie to Help Process Her Grief
- ICP PREDICTION. ICP cryptocurrency
- Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic Was Inspired By Akira And Cowboy Bebop
- Critics Share Concerns Over Suicide Squad’s DLC Choices: Joker, Lawless, and Mrs. Freeze
- EUR IDR PREDICTION
2024-11-15 17:02