Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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blocking links to steampowered (self.Blind)
submitted by fastfinge
UPDATE: this is now out of date. After further discussion with the community, our final policy is $1.
Hello:
As I've gotten complaints from people who have attempted to purchase the game in $1, only to find that the Steam store is totally inaccessible with there screen-reader and they can't get a refund, we're now blocking all links to steampowered.com on /r/blind. While we still have no rule against inaccessible content, and we welcome discussion of steam games as self-posts, I do think it's important to try and protect folks from spending money on games they will never be able to play. If you do need to link to steampowered.com, moderators may still approve the post if the post title clearly indicates the steam store is not accessible, or if there is some other reason why you want to link to steampowered. However, I believe that selling blind people games they cannot play due to flaws in Steam is false advertising, and I cannot in good conscience continue to allow it.
This new policy is something I came up with extremely quickly. If people are unhappy with it, I am open to discussion of change. However, we do need a way to mark that while Steam games may be accessible to some blind and low vision individuals, those using screen-readers should think twice before making a purchase.
Hello:
As I've gotten complaints from people who have attempted to purchase the game in $1, only to find that the Steam store is totally inaccessible with there screen-reader and they can't get a refund, we're now blocking all links to steampowered.com on /r/blind. While we still have no rule against inaccessible content, and we welcome discussion of steam games as self-posts, I do think it's important to try and protect folks from spending money on games they will never be able to play. If you do need to link to steampowered.com, moderators may still approve the post if the post title clearly indicates the steam store is not accessible, or if there is some other reason why you want to link to steampowered. However, I believe that selling blind people games they cannot play due to flaws in Steam is false advertising, and I cannot in good conscience continue to allow it.
This new policy is something I came up with extremely quickly. If people are unhappy with it, I am open to discussion of change. However, we do need a way to mark that while Steam games may be accessible to some blind and low vision individuals, those using screen-readers should think twice before making a purchase.
Drop9Reddit 2 points 7y ago
Here is the step by step guide for a steam refund https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6695-QIKM-7966
Metal_heat 1 points 7y ago
So after this discussion I decided to send a message on Facebook to the company that developed the game explaining my problems with steam.
They weren't nice at all, after all my messages the only answer that I got" there is no other platform in this moment where you can access the game.
I am not copying their words just explaining the answer that I got.
This was very disappointing once I already play this game on the iPhone and I got pretty excited with the news that it would be available for mac.
So in the end I hope that they open their eyes for the fact that steam is not accessible for everybody.
About the money if it helps to make steam accessible I will see this as an investment, but I am scared that it was just lost. But totally by my mistake of not checking steam.
They weren't nice at all, after all my messages the only answer that I got" there is no other platform in this moment where you can access the game.
I am not copying their words just explaining the answer that I got.
This was very disappointing once I already play this game on the iPhone and I got pretty excited with the news that it would be available for mac.
So in the end I hope that they open their eyes for the fact that steam is not accessible for everybody.
About the money if it helps to make steam accessible I will see this as an investment, but I am scared that it was just lost. But totally by my mistake of not checking steam.
Drop9Reddit 3 points 7y ago
There is a report Product button. I recommend doing that on top of a refund and giving feedback
On Top of that I recommend everyone give feedback. This should be pulled till there is a warning. I have flagged it myself
On Top of that I recommend everyone give feedback. This should be pulled till there is a warning. I have flagged it myself
Metal_heat 1 points 7y ago
What most amazed me was how not nice they were about it. I send them messages explaining what happened and the answer seemed like I was boring them. If you going to launch an game for blind people in an not accessible platform you should know that the comments will not be favorable to it.
Drop9Reddit 1 points 7y ago
Completely agree
Drop9Reddit 2 points 7y ago
Steam has a refund section I highly recommend checking. I believe it is usable from the site instead of the client. As well you should be able to report this all to Steam through the site.
fastfinge [OP] 1 points 7y ago
Just making sure you saw the link /u/drop9reddit posted slightly up-thread to get a Steam refund:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6695-QIKM-7966
Apparently getting all of your money back is possible.
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6695-QIKM-7966
Apparently getting all of your money back is possible.
Drop9Reddit 1 points 7y ago
I would suggest instead of outright blocking the links as there are those of us who are low vision and can use Steam fine with ZoomText that perhaps a compromise is in order. Instead of an outright block a mandatory psa or warning when using those links. Perhaps worded like this.
*All links for Valve's Steam lead to an inaccessible storefront with no guarantees of accessibility for the products sold on that page.
This way those of us in the low vision circles can still share. As well the populous of Blind people whom fight with Steam and make it work.
*All links for Valve's Steam lead to an inaccessible storefront with no guarantees of accessibility for the products sold on that page.
This way those of us in the low vision circles can still share. As well the populous of Blind people whom fight with Steam and make it work.
fastfinge [OP] 1 points 7y ago
At the moment, the only way to do that is by putting a warning in the post title. Currently, if someone tries to link to steampowered.com, the moderators get a message, and can choose to approve the post or not. We can't change links that you submit to show warnings, or anything like that, though. But as long as there's a warning in the title, I'm fine with approving all posts that link to Steam.
Drop9Reddit 1 points 7y ago
That seems fair to me. You may want to write the policy with that and sticky it so people don't forget.
Unknow0059 1 points 7y ago
Sorry i caused trouble, i was just trying to share something cool.
fastfinge [OP] 1 points 7y ago
It's not your fault. It's our responsibility as mods to come up with and enforce reasonable policies. In this case, I believe we failed, causing some people to lose money. I've known Steam is inaccessible for years, and complained bitterly about it in many other forums. I assumed everyone else knew the same. Apparently that isn't the case. Thus the new policy. We're not trying to ban discussion, and we don't want to punish you or anyone else. We just want to protect people from spending money on something they might not be able to play.
Unknow0059 1 points 7y ago
I'm not really sure what happened in the link i sent, it should have worked fine, i copied the link from Steam's browser. (RB> Copy URL)
Why can i access the game from Steam's application but not from my browser? Edit: I can, it just took A Long Time.
How did they buy the game if they weren't able to use their screen reader?
>protect folks from spending money on games they will never be able to play.
Like it doesn't run on their PC?
Why can i access the game from Steam's application but not from my browser? Edit: I can, it just took A Long Time.
How did they buy the game if they weren't able to use their screen reader?
>protect folks from spending money on games they will never be able to play.
Like it doesn't run on their PC?
fastfinge [OP] 1 points 7y ago
The steam website itself is perfectly accessible with screen-reaers. However, Valve has decided not to allow screen-readers to read the Steam launcher interface. That means games can be purchased from the website, but can never be downloaded, installed, or launched.
Unknow0059 1 points 7y ago
That is insane bullshit, i can't believe they did that.
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