Last week marked a notable shift in the gaming landscape as Steam instituted tighter controls on adult content, driven by pressures from credit card firms like Visa and Mastercard.

While such regulations might seem new, the trend has been brewing for several years. In 2021, Mastercard began enforcing a policy that required adult websites to implement impossible-to-follow standards, whilst Visa has clamped down on legitimate content in Japan under the guise of ‘brand protection.’

Historically, industry voices like Yoko Taro have warned about these precursory measures against payment processors restricting adult content. Taro expressed concerns that unchecked authority from payment processors could undermine free speech and pose threats to democratic principles:

“It implies that by controlling payment processing companies, you can even censor another country’s free speech.”

This echo of control over content has been increasingly scrutinized, as it leaves creators and users in a precarious position regarding their rights and expressions. The discussion continues to emphasize the balance needed to protect individual freedoms without succumbing to corporate interests.