A Disturbing Report on Steam’s Moderation Practices
The Anti-Defamation League has released a report indicating that Steam, a gaming platform with around 30 million continuously active users, is a breeding ground for extremist content. Through the analysis of 1.2 billion public data points, the ADL found 1.83 million instances of hateful content, including Nazi symbols, references to terrorist organizations, and images that glorify acts of violence. Commonly recurring symbols include hateful caricatures of Pepe the Frog
and swastikas. The report also highlights that groups and individual users openly use avatars and text that promote extremist views.
Criticisms of Moderation Policies
The ADL criticizes Valve’s lax approach to managing problematic content. While Steam prohibits certain behaviors, such as the incitement of actual violence, its guidelines do not explicitly mention extremist ideologies. The organization condemns Valve’s permissive approach, noting that while the company technically has the capability to moderate effectively, it rarely intervenes, usually only under external pressure. Steam is seen as lagging behind other platforms like Roblox or Discord, which enforce strict rules against extremism.
Specific Instances of Misconduct
The report mentions specific cases, such as that of a teenager in Turkey who committed an attack after sharing extremist content on Steam. Thousands of accounts glorify terrorists or spread hateful messages, which, according to the ADL, could facilitate radicalization. Studies also show that 14% of Counter-Strike 2 players and 11% of Dota 2 players have been exposed to white supremacist beliefs, compared to 6% in other games like Fortnite.
Recommendations for Strict Regulation
In response to these issues, the ADL urges Valve to implement explicit policies against hate and extremism. The organization emphasizes the need for the video game industry to take responsibility, as online gaming becomes a major social space, exposing millions of users to problematic content, especially younger audiences.
This issue raises important questions: particularly concerning the appropriateness of allowing children and teenagers to use such platforms without supervision.