Fearing extremist content on Steam, a U.S. senator has urged Valve’s CEO Gabe Newell to step up moderation of hate speech on the popular gaming platform. Senator Mark Warner from Virginia sent a stern letter urging the company to address the proliferation of “hateful accounts and rhetoric” amongst its user base.
Steam under fire: Senator demands action on hate speech crackdown
In his letter, Warner also pointed to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)’s research, which found more than one million unique user accounts that have been Sharing extremist ideologies, including antisemitism, racism, and other types of hate speech. The ADL also says that nearly 100,000 user-created groups endorse these dangerous ideologies. “And what we’re seeing with Steam is something that has over 100 million unique user accounts, and we have come to a stage now where it is a very large social networking site,” Warner said, necessitating a proactive approach to moderation similar to ‘traditional social media platforms.’
“My concern is elevated by the fact that Steam is the largest single online gaming digital distribution and social networking platform in the world,” Warner stated. He pointed out that Valve maintains a “hands-off” approach to regulating content, allowing a toxic environment that can lead to harassment and abuse. Valve, he told them, had gotten slapped with similar warnings two years ago, and nothing’s changed in their content moderation tactics.
The senator said Valve’s lukewarm moderation approach could invite perils for the community, particularly for the younger players. “As Black Friday and the holiday buying season approaches, the American public should know that not only is Steam an unsafe place for teens and young adults,” Warner warned, “but also that, absent a change in Valve’s approach to user moderation, Steam is playing a clear role in allowing harmful ideologies to spread.”
Just days after the ADL released its report, Warner’s letter follows a previous Senate inquiry. It calls for clear answers related to Valve’s enforcement practices and hints at impending greater scrutiny from the federal government if the required actions aren’t taken. Valve has been given until December 13, 2024, to respond to the letter.
Warner’s inquiries delve into several facets of Valve’s moderation framework, including its definition of hate speech and the number of reported incidents concerning the platform’s community standards violations. However, the senator also says that the gaming platform must adhere to industry-standard moderation practices to avoid disseminating extremist views that could endanger users.
Warner leaves room to discuss the challenges of dealing with hate speech but also discusses the severe consequences of inaction. If Valve stays passive, it creates an unsafe environment where one allows hate groups to not only grow but thrive and the inherent danger that entails. He said Valve currently faces the threat of severe government scrutiny due to its supposed collaboration with these groups unless action is taken swiftly.
Warner’s stance comes as the discourse around hate speech and moderating practices continues, with lawmakers increasingly worrying about how tech companies manage user-generated content. As platforms remain virtual centers of online interactions, the stakes increase as they continue to dominate virtual interactions, as he points out the rapid dissemination of harmful narratives that could pervade gamers’ community, all while gaining attention.
Of course, Valve has not replied to this growing situation yet, and its content moderation approach and methodology will certainly come under greater public and governmental scrutiny in the months to come. Debates about user safety, company responsibility, and the notion of giving up free speech to protect vulnerable user bases will continue to be as important as — if not more important — determinative factors in the development of tomorrow’s online platforms, such as Steam.
Image credits: Steam
