I really wish my government would stop policing the internet except when dealing with copyright-related matters. They're whipping up hysteria to force Steam into age verification, which would force Steam gamers to dox themselves by uploading their ID and have their biometrics harvested through facial scans for AI training.
"Right-wing extremist" is the new bogeyman since "protect the children," "illegal immigration," and "foreign threats" are becoming less of a narrative shield.
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/australia-wants-to-know-how-valve-is-combating-extreme-right-communities-on-steam/
36 Comments
Lol extreme any communities are dangerous. Why only focus on one, cast a wider net if that’s the way they want to go.
Lovely to see… And because the social media 16 ban worked so well right? /S
Between AI and religion the internet is falling apart
What a bait headline.
As hidden down the bottom of the article Valve is being asked to do this in line with exploitation concerns for Microsoft and Roblox. Its not Valve themselves that are in trouble but it seems the regulator is trying to check up on all current risks
This seems a bit… ridiculous? I know Steam has forums and community groups which is where this is obviously happening, but that feature is niche to say the least. Most people never engage at all with it.
I appreciate a government willing to make a comment on it, to get Steam to do something, but I don’t exactly like the idea of a very public article once again drawing a link between gaming and extremism. The fact this article is from pcgamer is the worst part, they should know better than to make a headline like that. All it does is bring out the “video games cause violence” crowd to spout their bullshit over and over.
I’m not defending the behaviour, but late 2000’s CoD lobbies would traumatise these pearl clutchers compared to the verbal shit kids say on games these days.
Our government (and the world) is absolutely cooked
Australia doesn’t want to know, some religious troublemaking out of touch gormless cum stains want to know these things
Be hilarious if there is a PHON steam group that they Ban because the government requested far-right censorship. Would be worth it just for the shitfight that would cause.
Julie Inman Grant needs to be fired.
Who actually agrees with her?
STEAM?
How bout they focus on Facebook, Insta, Youtube.
Everything is being ruined.
If there’s one thing the internet has shown me is that is should have been policed more
With absolutely no evidence that there is a problem, our unelected American wowser esafety comissioner sends censorship notices to multiple entertainment companies.
This is also about censoring and outright banning games they dont like.
They intent to stamp out “embedding terrorist and violent extremist narratives in gameplay,” I guess Counterstrike is out then.
Right-wing extremism, a bogeyman?
Have you looked at the news lately?
well we did warn people they were going to come after video games…..
The Australian govt probably don’t actually give a fuck about extreme right communities, if they did they would be cutting ties with and sanctioning the extreme right ideologically aligned axis of Epstein (U.S and Israel) who commit actual crimes against humanity, not just a few hateful words in a Steam group.
More likely they’re laying the groundwork to force Steam to not only require IDs for accessing 18+ online games like they do now as of Dec 2025, but for anyone and everyone who wants to simply create an account.
The e-safety commision is picking on the Gaben
This will end poorly for them
Weird that they’d focus on this, and not children spending real money to gamble in Valve games
Steam is about the least social media style use of the internet I’ve found. People comment about games, they don’t go on tangents about political bullshit. Maybe they should have a look at the comment sections of [news.com.au](http://news.com.au) articles and such shit instead.
Thats strange. How is the government is combating extreme right communities within Australia itself?
Valve: I want to know what Australia is doing to combat the cost of living and rocketing housing prices
So many politicians in the world pushing through with this coordinated social media age verification bill. Somethings fucky, corrupt lobbying perhaps.
Right-wing extremism is a huge problem, and right-wing movements prey on vulnerable young men including gamers. It’s a serious threat.
Chasing Steam for ID verification may not be the way to go but the goal of combating this issue is admirable and long overdue
Ya know…
I feel like at this point I’d be ok with the internet just fucking off completely.
I’m getting old. I want the late 1990s back.
Also, do these platforms really need communities. Just sell me some fucking games and let me play them.
Just turn communities off. Blogs ditched comments because of spam…
Hopefully Gabe tells them to get fucked. I have 1000 games I’m not willing to lose because our government is fucking useless.
My steam account is over 18 years old. I don’t think they will need me to verify my age.
Age Verification has done nothing but piss me off and fuck with my less tech savy friends and family. To be honest.
As a representative of Australia, I don’t remember asking that question.
As Governments become more disconnected from the populous you’ll see centrist technocratic governments move to a more militant centrism which will include more authoritarian measures unfortunately.
It’s very easy to sustain a liberal democracy in a high trust society but as soon as that trust becomes eroded liberties, and eventually rights, will seem like a small price to pay to try to stop further fracturing. It won’t work of course because it doesn’t address the underlying issues that see governments “ruling the void” (to borrow a phrase a more authoritative source.)
Whick one is wose: extreme right or extreme left? Who would win in a fight?
On the other hand, go check out the Steam forums for a hot second. They are a cesspool
Literally no one in Australia is thinking that, what is that title. Just let people play games. Steam is one of the few mostly non evil companies left and will sort it. Just leave it alone.
Gotta love how our government is more concerned with policing video games than it is improving the cost of living and housing crisis.
Albo is such a worthless muppet.
Yup. I feel like valve is always under fire for these made up things because they pissed the industry off with their blocking of ads in videogames
Do we?
If you disagree with ID age verification then vote for someone against it the like the Greens
Just a few hours ago I was reading comments on YouTube actively advocating for Nationalism and several remarks about turning people into lampshades. Far right extremists are becoming increasingly prevalent as socioeconomic systems fail and I fear that boards of moronic bureaucrats are going to miss the forest for the trees.