Steam Updates Guidelines on Adult Content
Company cites compliance with payment processors, card networks, banks, internet providers
Valve has recently made changes to the guidelines for using Steamworks, which include new rules regarding adult content. These guidelines state that developers should not publish content that violates the rules set by third-party services used by Steam, such as payment processors.
The "Restrictions on Publishing on Steam" section outlines content that may breach the guidelines established by Steam's payment processors, card networks, banks, and internet service providers. This specifically includes adult content.
Stripe suspended and banned Manga Planet's account due to R18 content on their subscription service, as announced by Manga Planet in January.
In recent years, many websites and platforms operating within Japan have been unable to accept payments made through Visa and Mastercard because of customers attempting to make payments through those methods being rejected. Some of these websites include Nico Nico. ( link ) , Melonbooks and Toranoana , DLSite ( link ) (which also disallowed American Express ), Fantia ( link ) , Manga Library Z , and Fanza ( link ) , among others.
On January 29th, Niconico stopped offering its Niconico Shunga adult illustrations because it was challenging to maintain the service given the current social climate and global circumstances.
According to Cietan Kitney, President of Visa Worldwide Japan, Visa aims to provide its payment service to as many legal and legitimate products and services as possible. However, there may be instances where purchases are declined to safeguard the brand.
Source: Steamworks ( link ) via Hachima Kikō
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