What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'WEB_FORM', 'recipient': 'https://support.steampowered.com/newticket.php', 'difficulty': 'DIFFICULT', 'action_type': 'DISPUTE_FEE', 'instructions': "If you believe your account was incorrectly banned or suspended under anti-cheat provisions, submit an appeal through Steam Support at support.steampowered.com. Note that VAC bans are stated to be permanent and non-negotiable in Valve's official policy, but conduct-based bans may be reviewed.", 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': "The FTC can investigate whether Steam's automated anti-cheat ban system, applied without adequate appeals process, constitutes an unfair practice causing disproportionate financial harm to consumers.", 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Online Conduct, Anti-Cheat and Automation Restrictions clause as medium severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Online Conduct, Anti-Cheat and Automation Restrictions — Steam

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What it is

You cannot use any cheating software, bots, or unauthorized tools on Steam. If you do, Valve can immediately suspend or permanently ban your account — and you will lose all your games and purchases.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Using any unauthorized third-party software — including tools that may be ambiguously classified as 'automation' — can result in immediate and permanent account termination with forfeiture of all purchased content and Steam Wallet funds.

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.

Dispute a Fee

If you believe your account was incorrectly banned or suspended under anti-cheat provisions, submit an appeal through Steam Support at support.steampowered.com. Note that VAC bans are stated to be permanent and non-negotiable in Valve's official policy, but conduct-based bans may be reviewed.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Online Conduct, Anti-Cheat and Automation Restrictions and similar clauses.

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

An anti-cheat violation — even one disputed by the user — can result in permanent account termination with no refund of any purchased content, giving Valve a powerful enforcement tool with significant financial consequences.

View original clause language

You may not use cheats, automation software (bots), mods, hacks, or any other unauthorized third-party software, to modify or automate any Subscription Marketplace process. [...] Valve may immediately suspend or terminate your account if you use such software. [...] You agree that you will not use any form of third-party communication application when using Steam or playing games through Steam that enables features not permitted by Valve.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision engages the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) 18 U.S.C. §1030 (unauthorized access to computer systems, which Valve may invoke against cheat software developers); Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) 17 U.S.C. §1201 (anti-circumvention provisions relevant to cheat tools that bypass technical protection measures); and state computer crime statutes. For enforcement against users, this is primarily a contractual rather than statutory framework. FTC Act Section 5 may be implicated if anti-cheat bans are applied unfairly or without adequate notice.

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Applicable agencies

FTC

The FTC can investigate whether Steam's automated anti-cheat ban system, applied without adequate appeals process, constitutes an unfair practice causing disproportionate financial harm to consumers.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Steam Subscriber Agreement

Entity

Steam

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 18, 2026

Last verified

April 18, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-002925

Document ID

CA-D-00181

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

50755f81522ed919eb180755a4517649cb9d59401e7c9a3de1e2701b84171d9d

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Steam | Document: Steam Subscriber Agreement | Record: CA-P-002925
Captured: 2026-04-18 10:51:33 UTC | SHA-256: 50755f81522ed919…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/steam/steam-subscriber-agreement/online-conduct-anti-cheat-and-automation-restrictions/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

Medium

Online Conduct, Anti-Cheat and Automation Restrictions