All NSFW games on Itch are now hidden by default.

[Anteron]

It's messed up they count "mind control" when it's always by magic or tech means that don't actually exist...

 

[DiTo]

 

[Solicia]

And from what I'm seeing now about KOSA and the UK equivalent, that tells me this is a coordinated effort.

Same is happening in the EU, i think it can still be stopped but i am not sure.
I see several problems with these laws first of all the major violation of privacy that already has been mentioned.
Secondly i think protecting children from seeing things they shouldn't is the job of parents and not the government i think that if the government is concerned about how children might turn out ones they old enough the date or have sex they should educate them not ban all content.

But the worst part is this law something i see not many people talking about is the wording this law states "Harmful Content" this is really vague and can anything.
Now it just seems to be used on adult content violence and gaming but this law can be used to everything that's harmful including things that are harmful towards to government.

I things these laws are the biggest attack on self-expression and freedom of speech i have seen in my lifetime.

 

[shadowkitsune]

I'm curious, could a comprehensive list be made of the missing games be made, probably on a separate thread or something?

 

[-R1ck-]

I see some fan favorites games getting nuked after this whole shadowban period of itch is over (which they claim to be an analysis period to check each game and ban those that go against the guidelines).

Games that plays too much pseudo-incest, voyeur and even "barely legal ages" (which I assume to be 18yo characters) already put a ton of games into the aim of the ban bullet.

What could be the alternatives for these games if they get banned off the site then? Marketing would be pretty much dead without itch I think

 

[Insanatee]

I see some fan favorites games getting nuked after this whole shadowban period of itch is over (which they claim to be an analysis period to check each game and ban those that go against the guidelines).

Games that plays too much pseudo-incest, voyeur and even "barely legal ages" (which I assume to be 18yo characters) already put a ton of games into the aim of the ban bullet.

What could be the alternatives for these games if they get banned off the site then? Marketing would be pretty much dead without itch I think

Not going to happen. Those are very popular niches and creators will find ways to continue making them.

 

[DarkEnchanter]

I'm curious, could a comprehensive list be made of the missing games be made, probably on a separate thread or something?

Here is actually a project which has started to collect game-links:

You must be registered to see the links

There are not missing game-links collected but still existing game-links.

And here you can see all NSFW - Games (22.371) from the past, also i dont think all of them are related to porn or at least sexualtity:

You must be registered to see the links

I forgot to mention, you need to cut off the second half of the link:

For example

You must be registered to see the links

gets to

You must be registered to see the links

 

[shadowkitsune]

Here is actually a project which has started to collect game-links:

You must be registered to see the links

There are not missing game-links collected but still existing game-links.

And here you can see all NSFW - Games (22.371) from the past, also i dont think all of them are related to porn or at least sexualtity:

You must be registered to see the links

Fucking hell, a number of those games I've either actively followed and/or have supported. Several actually came from here. Sigh, thanks, I know a few others would like to see these too.

 

[PSage]

I'm not sure there is some "real enemy".

There are multiple facets at play that powers want to have:

• The ability to censor things they don't like
• Remove anonymity from the internet

Honestly the internet is large enough it's effectively a public square at this point and the dream that you would be anonymous forever on it was not going to hold water for long.

Basically the age group of people who know about the internet are starting to get into positions of power, and the people who didn't know what a computer was or how powerful they are are aging out.

This change of awareness will make it harder to push an internet anonymity concept over because they know the internet is stupid and vile but it's also the main source of truth.

Once people saw the writing officially on the wall for mainstream media no longer being able to control a narrative- well these powerful groups weren't going to just sit back and go "golly we lost", they'll just assume authority over the thing they have deemed they need to control.

Best foot in the door is saving the kids from the horrors of something no good politician is going to dare to try to fight against, it's career suicide.

All these feminists are just the scape goats. People will hate them while changes are done that don't even ultimately benefit them, but they will be "the root of all evil" until the foothold is strong enough nobody can back out. You get the US and other western countries to enact similar stuff using similar or the same technology and presto, you have regained control of the narrative.

You can wipe out as much or as little as you like, and hit them in the pocket book and ability for people to access that content and you win. Not many things can at scale with no income for very long and with access cut off for most users who are casual at best.

I think the days of an internet for the world are coming to an end and you'll probably have subdivisions for different countries. You'll also need to always be who you are with your real name associated with everything you do and everywhere you go online with the added fear of everything also being actively monitored by AI for some transgression that will get you fined or arrested based on the content.

Enjoy what exists today while it lasts!





There is an old adage about figuring out who really controls you by finding the group of people you're not allowed to make jokes about or laugh at. It tends to hold water even today.

A 19 year old was arrested recently in UK after censorship law was passed for possible hate speech on a media site determined by algorithms. I really don't like the idea of AI policing the internet when it is prone to misuse. I feel like I'm living in an episode of black mirror or the twilight zone.

 

[Count Morado]

A 19 year old was arrested recently in UK after censorship law was passed for possible hate speech on a media site determined by algorithms.

Link?

 

[PSage]

Link?

Sorry can't remember a link at the moment. I was browsing youtube a couple of hours ago and watching several different videos and one of them was from the UK talking about the ongoing situation there.

 

[Count Morado]

Sorry can't remember a link at the moment. I was browsing youtube a couple of hours ago and watching several different videos and one of them was from the UK talking about the ongoing situation there.

I was browsing YouTube recently and saw a head of state in bed with Satan.

 

[Purplehat Productions]

There is a huge dog that is not barking here.

These payment processors are willingly giving up billions in revenue, to bow to the demands of one group in Australia?

These same payment processors, who have access to the best lawyers in the world, and could easily say they're not required to get involved, all decided to bow to the demands of this group?

I don't buy it. The only way this makes sense is if a bigger revenue source is at stake. That makes me think this is a coordinated effort and Collective Shout is just the face of it.

 

[PSage]

I was browsing YouTube recently and saw a head of state in bed with Satan.

Which one this time HaHaHa.

 

[Deleted member 9257078]

These same payment processors, who have access to the best lawyers in the world, and could easily say they're not required to get involved, all decided to bow to the demands of this group?

It's kind of clever when you think about it.

Smart way to divert backlash to a 3rd party.

 

[PSage]

It's kind of smart when you think about it.

Smart way to divert backlash to a 3rd party.

I'm sure that was their goal, too bad its not working for them eh.

 

[Deleted member 9257078]

I'm sure that was their goal, too bad its not working for them eh.

I don't know man, quite a bit of the backlash has been directed at Collective Shout.

Especially since Youtubers went to town on Collective Shout instead of identifying board members of Visa/MC.

 

[PSage]

I don't know man, quite a bit of the backlash has been directed at Collective Shout.

Especially since Youtubers went to town on Collective Shout instead of identifying board members of Visa/MC.

True but the call centers of Visa/Mastercard are getting overwhelmed by angry gamers calling in constantly. This slows business and costs these companies time and money which is what shareholders care about most.

 

[Count Morado]

These payment processors are willingly giving up billions in revenue, to bow to the demands of one group in Australia?

These same payment processors, who have access to the best lawyers in the world, and could easily say they're not required to get involved, all decided to bow to the demands of this group?

The adult games being banned/removed/retired never generated "billions in revenue" for the processors and credit card companies. Hell, the developers of the games, themselves - as a whole - never had the potential at "billions in revenue."

But you make a valid point - the payment processors and credit card companies did not bow to anyone. They've had these same rules for years - which Steam and itch were contracted to uphold or lose the ability to process payments. The organization basically just made it publicly known that Steam and itch were not upholding their contractual terms and gave the opportunity for payment processors and credit card companies to require compliance in the contracts or lose their services.

True but the call centers of Visa/Mastercard are getting overwhelmed by angry gamers calling in constantly. This slows business and costs these companies time and money which is what shareholders care about most.

There are rumors that the call centers are overwhelmed. There is no evidence that I have seen - no company has publicly stated they are being overwhelmed. It has only been spread by people who have an interest in those rumors being spread (increasing motivation in a "bandwagon effect" for getting people involved). And it's the shareholders that pressured credit card companies and payment processors in the past to reduce activities that are considered higher risk, such as adult content and porn - particularly after the broad and vague wording of "Operation Choke Point" in 2014 and FOSTA-SESTA in 2018 within the USA.

It's going to take more than a few days for any pressure to actually work its way through the system. Which means it will take sustained campaigns over years to possibly make change happen.

 

[PSage]

The adult games being banned/removed/retired never generated "billions in revenue" for the processors and credit card companies. Hell, the developers of the games, themselves - as a whole - never had the potential at "billions in revenue."

But you make a valid point - the payment processors and credit card companies did not bow to anyone. They've had these same rules for years - which Steam and itch were contracted to uphold or lose the ability to process payments. The organization basically just made it publicly known that Steam and itch were not upholding their contractual terms and gave the opportunity for payment processors and credit card companies to require compliance in the contracts or lose their services.

There are rumors that the call centers are overwhelmed. There is no evidence that I have seen - no company has publicly stated they are being overwhelmed. It has only been spread by people who have an interest in those rumors being spread (increasing motivation in a "bandwagon effect" for getting people involved). And it's the shareholders that pressured credit card companies and payment processors in the past to reduce activities that are considered higher risk, such as adult content and porn - particularly after the broad and vague wording of "Operation Choke Point" in 2014 and FOSTA-SESTA in 2018 within the USA.

It's going to take more than a few days for any pressure to actually work its way through the system. Which means it will take sustained campaigns over years to possibly make change happen.

I only hope that any pressure works long term as this censorship wont end well. It looks more dystopian by the moment when you combine whats happening across the globe.