Steam uses cookies, pixels, ad tags, and device identifiers to track how you use its websites and services, including for marketing purposes. Your IP address is automatically logged every time you visit Steam's services.
Consumer impact (what this means for users)
Steam's use of ad tags and pixels means your browsing behavior on Steam may be shared with advertising partners and used to build a behavioral profile, and your IP address is logged on every visit — both of which have significant privacy implications for users who assume they are only interacting with Steam.
What you can do
⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
Opt Out of Arbitration
Visit the Steam Cookie Settings page at https://store.steampowered.com/account/cookiepreferences/ and toggle off non-essential cookies including analytics and advertising cookies. You can also access this through the cookie banner on first visit to any Steam page.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Tracking Data, Cookies, and Behavioral Data Collection and similar clauses.
Beyond basic cookies, Steam uses web beacons, pixels, and ad tags — technologies that can track you across multiple websites and link your behavior to advertising profiles — which goes beyond what many users would expect from a gaming platform.
View original clause language
We use "Cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, and similar technologies (e.g. web beacons, pixels, ad tags and device identifiers) to help us analyze how users use our services, as well as to improve the services we are offering, to improve marketing, analytics or website functionality. The use of Cookies is standard on the internet. Although most web browsers automatically accept cookies, the decision of whether to accept or not is yours. You may adjust your browser settings to prevent the reception of cookies, or to provide notification whenever a cookie is sent to you. You can manage the use of optional cookies by clicking on the "Cookies setting" page accessible via the cookie banner displayed when you first visit our website and at any time through the Cookie Settings page available here. When you visit any of our services, our servers log your IP address, which is a number that is automatically assigned to the network your computer is part of.
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision engages the EU ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC, as amended), which requires prior informed consent for non-essential cookies (including analytics and advertising cookies), as implemented in national law (UK PECR SI 2003/2426). GDPR Art. 6 applies to the underlying personal data processing. CCPA §1798.120 grants California residents the right to opt out of 'sale' of personal information, which may be triggered by ad tag data sharing with third-party advertising networks. FTC Act Section 5 applies to deceptive tracking disclosures.
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Compliance intelligence locked
Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.
Watcher: regulatory citations. Professional: full compliance memo.
Applicable agencies
FTC
The FTC has authority over deceptive tracking practices and failure to honor opt-out mechanisms under FTC Act Section 5, including online behavioral advertising disclosures.
California residents can file complaints with the CA AG/CPPA regarding CCPA violations related to cookie-based data sharing and failure to provide adequate opt-out of 'sale' of personal information.