Steam · Steam Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Marketing Communications and Opt-Out

Low severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Uncommon · 15 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Steam may send you marketing emails about products similar to things you have previously bought, and you can opt out of these communications.

This analysis describes what Steam's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The clause establishes Valve's authority to conduct marketing outreach tied to purchase history and to process personal data for promotional activities, subject to user consent and opt-out mechanisms. This operational framework governs how the entity may use customer data for commercial messaging.

Interpretive note: The specific opt-out mechanism and the legal basis applied in each jurisdiction are not fully detailed in the available policy text, creating some interpretive uncertainty about the scope of marketing consent requirements.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Valve may send promotional messages based on your purchase history, and these will continue unless you actively opt out through account notification settings or unsubscribe mechanisms. The specific opt-out mechanism is not detailed in the policy text excerpt available.

How other platforms handle this

Spotify Medium

Request to opt out of the processing of your personal data for tailored advertising. For more information about our processing for these purposes, see the section 'Tailored advertising controls' below. You can exercise your right to opt out through the 'Tailored Ads' setting. If you do not have an a...

Best Buy Medium

You have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. To exercise this right, you can click the 'Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information' link available on our website, or submit a request through our privacy rights portal. We will process your opt-out request withi...

Bank of America Medium

To limit our sharing: Call us at 1-888-341-5000 — our menu will prompt you through your choices. Visit us online: bankofamerica.com/privacy. Mail the form below. If you are a new customer, we can begin sharing your information 30 days from the date we sent this notice. When you are no longer our cus...

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Valve may send you marketing messages about products and services that are similar to goods and services you have previously purchased from us, unless you have not consented to such marketing or have opted out. Valve may also process your personal data for promotional purposes where you have provided consent.

— Excerpt from Steam's Steam Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Marketing email communications engage the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act (requiring opt-out mechanisms and honest sender identification), EU GDPR consent requirements for direct marketing where no prior purchase relationship exists, and the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Where the legal basis is legitimate interest (prior purchase relationship), EU law permits soft opt-in marketing with a clear opt-out. Where consent is the basis, that consent must be separately obtained and withdrawable. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Low to Medium. The policy distinguishes between prior-purchase marketing (which may rely on legitimate interest) and consent-based promotional communications. This distinction is legally material under EU and UK law and should be operationally implemented with separate consent records and opt-out mechanisms. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU and UK users have a right to object to direct marketing at any time under GDPR Article 21(3), and that objection must be honored without conditions. California users have the right not to have personal information used for targeted marketing without opt-out capability under CPRA. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: If marketing communications are sent through third-party email service providers, data processing agreements covering the personal data used for marketing lists must be in place. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Consent records for promotional communications should be maintained with timestamp and scope documentation. Opt-out mechanisms should be tested for functionality and should process opt-outs promptly. Separate management of EU legitimate interest marketing versus consent-based marketing is operationally recommended.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces the CAN-SPAM Act governing commercial email marketing, including opt-out requirement compliance.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
COPPA
United States Federal
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
UK GDPR
United Kingdom
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US
VPPA
United States Federal

Provision details

Document information
Document
Steam Privacy Policy
Entity
Steam
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 8, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-009906
Document ID
CA-D-00182
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
769fb14c3e065cae8a4ba8c41e922ec685b1de5323884cd0d8281a18c4b2e722
Analysis generated
May 8, 2026 11:44 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Steam
Document: Steam Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-009906
Captured: 2026-05-08 11:44:27 UTC
SHA-256: 769fb14c3e065cae…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/steam/steam-privacy-policy/marketing-communications-and-opt-out/
Accessed: May 20, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Low
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Steam's Marketing Communications and Opt-Out clause do?

The clause establishes Valve's authority to conduct marketing outreach tied to purchase history and to process personal data for promotional activities, subject to user consent and opt-out mechanisms. This operational framework governs how the entity may use customer data for commercial messaging.

How does this clause affect you?

Valve may send promotional messages based on your purchase history, and these will continue unless you actively opt out through account notification settings or unsubscribe mechanisms. The specific opt-out mechanism is not detailed in the policy text excerpt available.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 15 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Steam?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Steam.