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Itch.io is the latest marketplace to crack down on adult games
Itch.io has deindexed adult and NSFW games following a campaign by Collective Shout, which criticized their sale of harmful titles like 'No Mercy.' This decision aims to maintain relationships with payment processors like PayPal and Visa, who also influence marketplace policies against adult content, reflecting ongoing tensions between payment systems and content regulation.
Key points
- Itch.io announced the deindexing of adult games due to pressure from Collective Shout, an advocacy group.
- The group targeted Itch.io and Steam for selling 'No Mercy,' which endorsed violence against women.
- Collective Shout reached out to payment processors to clarify how selling such games contradicts their corporate values.
- In response, Itch.io prioritized compliance with payment partners, leading to immediate actions to deindex adult content.
- The platform is undergoing a comprehensive audit to ensure compliance with payment processor policies.
- Criticism has arisen regarding the permanence of penalties on creators violating adult content rules, with funds from offending accounts deemed non-releasable.
Why it matters
- This incident parallels past actions by platforms like OnlyFans and Gumroad, which faced similar pressures from payment providers regarding adult content.
- Historically, payment processors have influenced digital marketplace policies, often leading to censorship of legal content.
- The ongoing discussion around content regulation and payment processing reflects broader societal debates on censorship and the impact of activist groups.
Itch.io's recent ban on adult games highlights ongoing conflicts between content regulation and payment processor policies, echoing a trend that could shape future marketplace dynamics as digital content continues to evolve.