Itch.io is shadowbanning or deleting NSFW and LGBTQ content

[Not a Decepticon]

Source on Bluesky collecting creators affected, you can scroll down comments to see many people admitting this has affected them.
Itch.io has, without warning, shadowbanned all nsfw content and it is already affecting content made by LGBTQ+ creators or containing LGBTQ+ themes or characters, especially trans ones. This includes video games, comics, books, ttrpgs, every type of content on the platform is affected. This happens very soon after Steam updated their policies to give itself right to delete any video game that credit companies refuse to proceed payments for. that move has immediatelly resulted in right-wing groups pushing to remove over 500 games, which so far affected over a hundred pornographic games, but the list of potentially threatened games reaches up to very mainstream titles. There is now a petition against Steam's policy changes, there is not one for itch.io.

It should be noted these changes also affect access to games in European Union, despite the policy of credit card companies refusing to process payments for nsfw creators or sex workers is illegal there, due to that law being rarely enforced.

Edit: There is also petition to make credit card companies stop this policy altogether.

 

[Jd Smith1]

So buy your porn from other sources. Its all private companies involved, so they are within their rights to choose how they do business.

Several states in the USA have just passed criminal and civil statutes restricting access to porn for underaged consumers; I imagine for some carriers, like Steam, its simpler just to drop porn rather than to bother with upgraded access controls.

 

[couldbecaleb]

So buy your porn from other sources. Its all private companies involved, so they are within their rights to choose how they do business.

Several states in the USA have just passed criminal and civil statutes restricting access to porn for underaged consumers; I imagine for some carriers, like Steam, its simpler just to drop porn rather than to bother with upgraded access controls.

Steam already has these controls in place, you're speaking from a place of ignorance.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Steam already has these controls in place, you're speaking from a place of ignorance.

Steams current controls do not match the requirements by new laws. Some states now require ID confirmation, whereas Steam, which I've used for more than a decade, only has a honor-system application of DoB. I'm 117 years old, so far as Steam knows.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

So buy your porn from other sources. Its all private companies involved, so they are within their rights to choose how they do business.

Credit card company has no right to decide what I can buy or publish for sale, it has no right to declare itself arbiter of morality and such actions are explicit illegal under EU Law. Moreover, activist groups in USA and Australia have no right to decide what a citizen of EU can buy or publish either.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

Several states in the USA have just passed criminal and civil statutes restricting access to porn for underaged consumers; I imagine for some carriers, like Steam, its simpler just to drop porn rather than to bother with upgraded access controls.

You do realize this is also affecting LGBTQ+ publishers or just L:GBTQ+ stories? For people who demands these bans an admission of LGBTQ+ existence in itself is pornographic. Hell, some games they do try to ban are there for asinine reasons - Detroit: become Human is on the list because some right-wing group thinks any story in which children are in danger "promotes child abuse".

 

[Das Emu]

There is a multitude of problems here:
1. itch did not warn about the change, despite knowing about this push since April. They not only shadow-banned products in question, they also withhold payment that lots of small indie developers need to pay rent. Just overnight with no warning, even if the sales happened before the change went into action.
2. This push comes from a christian fundamentalist group targeting payment processors like Visa and Mastercard to avoid going through the law. They basically are trying to make sure there is nowhere on the internet where you can get the kind of content they find immoral. So there is "no other place to go" really, as 99% of international consumer sales on the internet goes through these payment processors.
3. It's really not about "private companies have the right to decide what's on their platform", it's more about lobbyists from one part of the world enforcing something through third-parties that affects another private company, that really can't legally do anything else but comply.
4. itch really mishandled the situation, but they are also not in a situation in which they can decide what's on their platform anymore, same as steam and probably soon many other places on the internet. They have to comply with the payment processors decisions, who in turn seem to just follow what this christian fundamentalist group from Australia tells them to do.

[Edit]
And yes, this is my first post here after lurking for years. I just found it important to clarify a few things in defense of those affected by this change. Lots of very small developers are seeing their money being withheld so close before end of the month.

Also I really hate lobbyists pushing for censorship with a clear agenda to hurt minority communities.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Credit card company has no right to decide what I can buy or publish for sale, it has no right to declare itself arbiter of morality and such actions are explicit illegal under EU Law. Moreover, activist groups in USA and Australia have no right to decide what a citizen of EU can buy or publish either.

True, but they do have a right to decide who they will do business with.

You do realize this is also affecting LGBTQ+ publishers or just L:GBTQ+ stories? For people who demands these bans an admission of LGBTQ+ existence in itself is pornographic. Hell, some games they do try to ban are there for asinine reasons - Detroit: become Human is on the list because some right-wing group thinks any story in which children are in danger "promotes child abuse".

Sure. But political activism is legal, and in the USA at least, a right.

And to be clear, this is just two companies changing their business model. There are other venues already in place.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

There is a multitude of problems here:
1. itch did not warn about the change, despite knowing about this push since April. They not only shadow-banned products in question, they also withhold payment that lots of small indie developers need to pay rent. Just overnight with no warning, even if the sales happened before the change went into action.
2. This push comes from a christian fundamentalist group targeting payment processors like Visa and Mastercard to avoid going through the law. They basically are trying to make sure there is nowhere on the internet where you can get the kind of content they find immoral. So there is "no other place to go" really, as 99% of international consumer sales on the internet goes through these payment processors.
3. It's really not about "private companies have the right to decide what's on their platform", it's more about lobbyists from one part of the world enforcing something through third-parties that affects another private company, that really can't legally do anything else but comply.
4. itch really mishandled the situation, but they are also not in a situation in which they can decide what's on their platform anymore, same as steam and probably soon many other places on the internet. They have to comply with the payment processors decisions, who in turn seem to just follow what this christian fundamentalist group from Australia tells them to do.

[Edit]
And yes, this is my first post here after lurking for years. I just found it important to clarify a few things in defense of those affected by this change. Lots of very small developers are seeing their money being withheld so close before end of the month.

Also I really hate lobbyists pushing for censorship with a clear agenda to hurt minority communities.

Well said on everything. When Steam put out their bans, I messaged Central Bank of Europe, which is supposed to enforce regulations making the practice of credit card companies denying procession of payments illegal, but are not doing their job enforcing it. People who live in Europe should try to contact them too.

 

[Not a Decepticon]

True, but they do have a right to decide who they will do business with.

Actually, in European Union, they do not have a right to refuse payments like that. The law not being actively enforced is how they get away with it, but it is illegal.

And to be clear, this is just two companies changing their business model. There are other venues already in place.

This is VISA and Mastercard caving in to right-wing activist group from Australia that is on an active cesorship sphree, whose goal is to push LGBTQ+ people from all spaces where they can make living by pressuring payment processors because no alternative venue really can say no to them.

Sure. But political activism is legal, and in the USA at least, a right.

And why does it affect the world globally? Why are citizens of EU being told what they can buy or publish by a group located in Australia and American companies? How is that "free market"?