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
Marketing emails are sent on a legitimate interest or consent basis depending on jurisdiction, and opting out is an available but non-automatic protection that requires affirmative action from the user.
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.
This addition establishes explicit consent and opt-out requirements for marketing communications, demonstrating improved compliance with consent-based marketing regulations.
View full change record →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
If you are a California resident, you have the right to: Know what personal information is being collected about you; Know whether your personal information is sold or disclosed and to whom; Say no to the sale of personal information; Access your personal information; Request deletion of your person...
Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights with respect to your personal information, such as the right to request access, correction, or deletion of your personal information, or to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. If you are a California resident, you have...
At Ledger, earning and maintaining our users' trust is a top priority. That's why we are deeply committed not only to protecting your privacy and securing your personal data, but also to being fully transparent about how we handle it.
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"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
(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.
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Marketing emails are sent on a legitimate interest or consent basis depending on jurisdiction, and opting out is an available but non-automatic protection that requires affirmative action from the user.
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.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 17 platforms. See the full comparison.
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