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Itch.io Fuckery, Steam Problems, And Doing What You Can
3 months ago
By now, I'm sure that you've heard of what's happened with itch.io and Steam. The dramatic shift by both companies to de-list and block games and other media that 'doesn't agree with their payment processors' has been as staggering as it has been reprehensible, and it follows no clear thread other than 'This might offend a puritan with their hand on the button'. NSFW materials, as well as media that only mentions the existence of LGBTQ+ people, have been made impossible to search for.
Steps are being taken. People are listing the numbers for Visa and Mastercard (the primary power-holders in this push) to call, annoy, and remind them about the consequences of this choice. Likewise, there are email addresses being passed around for those that cannot call but can send emails (phones seem to be better for getting a message across, since it tends to tie up a real person for longer and affects the company bottom line). You can find those below:
Mastercard (US): 1-800-627-8372
Mastercard (Int.): +1-636-722-7111
Visa (US + Can): 1 800 847 2911
Visa (AUS): 1 800 125 440
Mastercard support email:
customer_support[at]mastercard.com
Visa support email:
askvisa[at]visa.com
If you wish to join in, adding your voice to the roar, maybe we can make a difference in turning that around.
But if you're not able to do that, or feel like there's no point, or just feel too worn down to do anything about that, then here's something else you can do.
Talk to the creators you follow. Show them that they matter, and more, show them that they're worth something when the rest of the world is trying to tell them they're worthless and need to be shut down.
You might not have the power to push back the tide, or the energy to leap in there, but I bet you have a few kind words and thankful details to share with the people making the stuff you love. Go tell them.
Steps are being taken. People are listing the numbers for Visa and Mastercard (the primary power-holders in this push) to call, annoy, and remind them about the consequences of this choice. Likewise, there are email addresses being passed around for those that cannot call but can send emails (phones seem to be better for getting a message across, since it tends to tie up a real person for longer and affects the company bottom line). You can find those below:
Mastercard (US): 1-800-627-8372
Mastercard (Int.): +1-636-722-7111
Visa (US + Can): 1 800 847 2911
Visa (AUS): 1 800 125 440
Mastercard support email:
customer_support[at]mastercard.com
Visa support email:
askvisa[at]visa.com
If you wish to join in, adding your voice to the roar, maybe we can make a difference in turning that around.
But if you're not able to do that, or feel like there's no point, or just feel too worn down to do anything about that, then here's something else you can do.
Talk to the creators you follow. Show them that they matter, and more, show them that they're worth something when the rest of the world is trying to tell them they're worthless and need to be shut down.
You might not have the power to push back the tide, or the energy to leap in there, but I bet you have a few kind words and thankful details to share with the people making the stuff you love. Go tell them.
Encourage creators, but also give them some free advertising. Spread the word about your favorite games and creators. Link to their profiles and pages. It's how we got people in before storefronts and social media storms, just by linking between pages and communities. Appreciation helps, but drawing in more business for them when possible could help a lot more.
For those who are interested in a bit more background, Itch.io's statement about the matter links to a campaign by the organisation "Collective Shout" to pressure their payment processors. This campaign was the catalyst for the latest round of censorship:
https://www.collectiveshout.org/ope.....ent-processors
I refuse to believe that there are not ways to push back and find a way forward again. One way or another, I refuse to just bow down and accept that.
The problem with 1984 as a warning is that it depends on a technological context that no longer exists. Unless you want mass murder as a law enforcement tool, you have to kill privacy.
There are literally no other options that are actually ethical.
If you told me that when I was younger, I would agree with you, but as they say a pessimist is an optimist with a sense of history.
https://www.acnc.gov.au/raise-concern