By Gavin Boyle
Video game platforms including Steam and Itch.io have removed hundreds of pornographic games from their libraries after an open letter from Australian lobby group Collective Shout to major credit card companies threatened to disrupt their payment methods.
“In April, we exposed the sale of rape simulation game ‘No Mercy’ on both Steam and Itch.io gaming platforms. In the game, players assume the persona of a man who rapes his female family members, including his mother and his aunt, as punishment for his mother’s infidelity,” Collective Shout said in its letter.
“We have since discovered hundreds of other games featuring rape, incest and child sexual abuse on both Steam and Itch.io. Our research has shown many of these games would breach Australian classification laws. Most of the content found within the games, including the graphics and the developers descriptions, are too distressing for us to make public,” the letter continued.
Collective Shout’s letter was addressed to major credit card companies including Mastercard, Discover, Visa and Paypal, asking them to cease processing payments on Steam and Itch.io until they stop distributing these pornographic games. Steam and Itch.io responded to this pressure by delisting hundreds of games with sexual content from their sites to maintain a positive relationship with the credit card companies.
Itch.io, however, has since stated it will begin listing pornographic games again, as long as they do not include abhorrent themes like rape or incest. The site has updated its policies to punish creators who seek to take things too far.
Related: How Porn Sites Hook You on Illegal Content
“We don’t allow hosting content that includes sexualized images or videos of real-life humans. Fictional, illustrated, and rendered content is generally fine, assuming it’s legal…” the site’s creator FAQ says. “Our policy is not an invitation to push the boundaries of what is acceptable. Violations that result in administrative action are permanent with no chance of appeal. Any funds on the account will not be eligible for payout. There is no second chance.”
Many people across the internet have been upset by this action taken against Itch.io and Steam, claiming it is undue censorship. However, pornography companies intentionally try to hook people on violent and illegal content to keep them coming back. Including this content in video games is no different.
Furthermore, those involved in the porn industry always seek to push the boundaries and insert their content into websites to increase the chances of users stumbling across adult content. For example, after Spotify introduced a video feature, people would upload full videos of intercourse to the platform, exposing thousands of users to the act.
Thus, the removal of pornographic video games — and especially games that feature illegal sexual acts — is an extremely positive step for child online safety. Rather than allowing the pornography industry to infiltrate children’s minds, these platforms need to protect kids and allow them to browse their libraries without stumbling upon inappropriate content.
Read Next: Porn Lurks on Seemingly Safe Sites — Here’s What Parent Can Do
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