They really need some attention huh
I really can't believe Valve allows a developer to use their platform to spread this crap.
I mean, in the frickin' patch notes?! Posted as a news post, to make sure everyone who follows the game, or clicks the update notice on their library gets exposed to this crap?
Unbelievable.
And of course, his further comments on that post are even better, in case his negationist crap wasn't clear enough:
I love the commodity of Steam's features, and the work Valve has been doing throughout the years to make gaming on PC as painless, and effortless as it is today.
But, I don't agree, and I'll never agree, with Valve's "hands-off" approach to their community features, and moderation.
I mean, we reached a point where we have plenty of users, and now even developers, posting:
-dangerous negationist content about a pandemic that killed millions of people worldwide, even on... patch notes (?!);
-rude, racist, and absolutely disgusting content about the current Ukraine invasion, including attacks on developers, their games (through reviews), and others users, with no consequence;
-users with game icons and profiles filled with swastikas, and Nazi imagery.
Again, all of this openly, with no consequence.
At best, if reported, they may delete a post. What for, if the same user posts again the same crap, with no consequence?
I'm critical of the level of toxicity on display on social media, which is one of the reasons for barely using any, but the truth is in those places, I can easily fully block someone, or mute certain words and content. Plus, if reported, users may be banned. It isn't easy, but it surely happens.
On Steam, even if one completely avoids the forums (something that a lot of people do), one just has to check reviews on the store page, follow a game for updates, and now apparently... patch notes (?!), to get exposed to this crap.
When one considers this is a platform used by millions of people worldwide, some of it underage, it really isn't right, because people start thinking this is the "normal" way to act with other people, which is not.
I really wish Valve would spend 1/1000th of the effort they place on other stuff, in tackling the cesspool that is everywhere on Steam's community features. Hire some moderators. Better tools to filter this content. Ban certain people from using community features when they constantly use it to throw abuse at other people, or spread hateful content. Is it too much to ask?
I know nothing will be done, but I actually sent an email about that developer to the address Valve has listed for Gabe Newell.
I doubt I'll get a reply, but I had to ask him if he feels comfortable in allowing a developer using his presence on Valve's platform to spread this hateful crap, by using the various community features to do so, including... patch notes(?!).
