Roskomnadzor has removed one of the Steam community pages from the Unified Register of Prohibited Information after the illegal content was taken down. This development was reported by socialbites.ca in its coverage of the section dedicated to regulatory actions.
Earlier, Roskomnadzor, acting on a decision from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, placed an Internet page from the Steam community into the Unified Register for disseminating information about methods to produce narcotic substances. A formal request was issued to the site owners to remove the content in question, and authorities indicated that compliance with the ministry’s requirements would lead to the removal from the register.
Roskomnadzor stressed that the content removal was prompted by the ministry’s directives, and the agency clarified that the access to the general Steam community page was not blocked during this process.
Before this update, the Telegram outlet Baza reported that Roskomnadzor had added the Steam gaming platform communities website (steamcommunity.com) to the list of blocked sites, signaling continued scrutiny of content linked to gaming platforms.
Steam is a U.S. based digital distribution service for computer games, created by Valve and launched in 2003. By the end of 2023, Steam boasted a monthly user base exceeding 130 million, cementing its status as the leading platform in its niche for digital game distribution and related content.
In related developments, there were reports suggesting shifts in content distribution strategies by major tech companies; for instance, there were discussions about Microsoft’s approach to distributing free games, a matter that was noted in several industry updates as part of shifts in digital entertainment ecosystems. These discussions reflect ongoing changes in how entertainment software is offered to global audiences, including users in Canada and the United States. (source: socialbites.ca; Baza; industry press)
Overall, the sequence of actions illustrates how regulatory bodies in Russia continue to monitor and respond to online content linked to digital platforms, while large platforms like Steam navigate compliance with local regulations and content policies. The evolving landscape highlights the importance for users to stay informed about regulatory changes, platform governance, and the availability of digital content across regions. The situation also underscores that content removals can occur without a blanket restriction on a service, with access to the platform potentially remaining intact while specific pages or materials are addressed according to official guidelines.