In the past 24 hours, users of Steam may have encountered a pop-up window prompting them to agree to a new Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA). Valve detailed these updates in an official blog post on the Steam Community forum. One significant change is the removal of binding arbitration from the SSA.
Binding arbitration refers to a method where disputes are resolved through a legal proceeding outside of court, overseen by an arbitrator employed by the company. This type of process can potentially lead to conflicts of interest, which is one reason companies favor it. According to the updated SSA, users are now instructed to first contact Steam Support to resolve issues. If a resolution is not achieved, disputes will then be directed to court rather than individual arbitration.
The practice of taking a company to court has gained prominence with the increase in Terms of Service agreements, where arbitration clauses have become widespread. These clauses often mean users unknowingly waive their right to sue when they download an app, join a website, or sign a new job contract.
Another major change in the new SSA is the removal of the class action waiver. Previously, this waiver prevented groups of similarly affected plaintiffs from suing collectively, a common feature in many Terms of Service agreements.
Valve stated that these changes would have a “limited impact” on certain regions including the EU, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Quebec, where the arbitration requirement in the SSA was not applicable.
Although these changes appear to benefit consumers, Valve has not provided specific reasons for these amendments. Inquiries have been made to a Steam representative for further clarification, and updates will be provided upon receiving a response.