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From: JAB <noway@nochance.com>
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.action
Subject: Re: How not to start the day
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2024 09:20:52 +0000
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On 03/12/2024 15:40, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
> 
> So, Steam locked my account today.
> 
> And why not? After all, I posted an incredibly suspicious (their
> words) comment the other day. It was a response to a review on their
> storefront. I forget what the game was, but that review basically
> said: 'don't buy this game, even if its on sale, even if it looks
> good, it's not worth it.'
> 
> So I replied:
> 
>     "It's true. I saw the game. I saw the pretty graphics. I saw
>      the negative scores. But I also saw it was on sale and I
>      thought, 'it couldn't be that bad'. I was >< this close to
>      buying it. Then I saw this review... and I put away the
>      credit card. It's like you knew me. Thank you for saving
>      me $40USD."
> 
> (that's my content, quoted in full, that Valve found offensive)
> 
> As you can see, it's no surprise that Valve locked the account of
> somebody who would say something so dreadful. I'm lucky my NNTP
> provider doesn't cancel my account for repeating it here, even if it
> was a first-strike by a long-time customer, content provider and
> probable 'whale'. Truly heinous stuff, right? Worthy of immediate
> locking somebody out of their property.
> 
> Obviously I'm being sarcastic. But I think I'm due to some cynicism
> given the stupidity of Valve. It just reinforces my belief that
> companies like Valve have way to much power over their customers
> 
> (similarly, Riot games has threatened to lock people out of their
> accounts for posting or saying stuff off-platform outside of their
> purview. That's right; do something offensive on Facebook and they'll
> keep you from playing League of Legends)
> 
> It's not so much a problem of these corporations trying to police
> their platforms. With all the misogyny, homophobia, and racism out
> there, it's a necessity. But it's the ham-handed, algorithm-led,
> shoot-first/investigate-never methodolgy they use. They just depend on
> computers to do it, rather than pay for moderators, and trust that
> these algorithmic decisions are correct. And then rather than
> correspond with the offender first, they just take the nuclear option
> and yank the account. It's wrong in every aspect.
> 
> I contacted customer support (which is to say, I clicked on a link and
> got redirected to a box where I could type out a comment). I politely
> requested that Valve investigate the incident and re-instate the
> account. I fully believe they will do so. The comment is so patently
> inoffensive that I have no idea why it even triggered an algorithm
> 
>      [maybe it was the use of the "> <"  to indicate proximity?]
> 
> But it's annoying that I have to jump through these hoops and that a
> black mark is now permanently associated with my account.
> 
> And it's made me distrust Valve --and their DRM-enforced control over
> my property-- just a little bit more.
> 

Annoying but realistically I'm not sure what Valve can do in general 
beyond trying to learn from where things went wrong and human 
interaction* is required somewhere in the process. Facewank is pretty 
awful in this respect with an algorithm that seems more like a game of 
pin the tail on the donkey. Oh you want to appeal this seven day ban, 
well just flag it to get looked at by our team of independent 
moderators. Oh sorry about that they haven't got time to do it currently 
so you're still banned.

This one though, locking your account. I mean really, I'd expect that 
would at least come with fair warning before doing it unless there's 
some obscure reason to do with account security or you're a repeat offender.

*The World of Tanks forum was a good example of be careful of what you 
wish for. There was no algorithm and it was all down to human 
moderators. Sounds good until you realise that they ended up with two 
volunteer moderators (why pay staff when you can get people to work for 
you for free) and they we so utterly biased it became basically a joke 
on the forum. Then again if you have a moderator who thinks they have a 
spirit guide called Jesus of Nazareth then you're just asking for trouble!