Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

Using VPN

I see lots of influencers, YouTubers etc. promote VPN services. But; isn't that against Steam (and other platforms') policies? It seems pretty odd and contradicting to me.

As long as you don't try to purchase products from other regions or bypass any restrictions in some regions.

Ex1: Try to purchase a game in another country because the price is cheaper.

Ex2: Try to gain access to a game that is unavailable in your region due to either, the publisher can not serve the game to you in your country due to other publishing rights or they removed the game from sale in your region for reasons.

There's nothing wrong with using a VPN.

Using a VPN to bypass regional pricing and restrictions is what's not allowed. No one has to use a VPN to spoof their location. If security is your need use a VPN in your country.

"InFluEnCeRs" advertise whatever they're paid to advertise, vpn isn't against any policies unless you use it to to circumvent your region to buy cheaper games

Oprindeligt skrevet af cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

Using VPN

I see lots of influencers, YouTubers etc. promote VPN services. But; isn't that against Steam (and other platforms') policies? It seems pretty odd and contradicting to me.

As long as you don't try to purchase products from other regions or bypass any restrictions in some regions.

Ex1: Try to purchase a game in another country because the price is cheaper.

Ex2: Try to gain access to a game that is unavailable in your region due to either, the publisher can not serve the game to you in your country due to other publishing rights or they removed the game from sale in your region for reasons.

:nkCool:

Well, there was a game which made for free-to-keep for a limited time but; was not available in my region. I contacted everybody (Steam crew, developer company etc.). Developer company said they cannot give me a serial key to activate in steam and recommend me to contact with their publisher company. It was a mess and total failure. I really felt sad at that time. If I used VPN, I would not use it to buy games for cheaper prices. But, I would certainly use it to be able to acquire some free stuff which I cannot in my region, right now. Then, I learned it was also a violation of Steam policies. Well, it is kinda sad but; thanks for the heads up anyway.

But the main reason I want to use VPN is hiding my real location. Not because to commit some crimes or involve in illegal activities but; I think corporations know lots of stuff about us nowadays and we are becoming a dystopia more-and-more every single day. So, I just wanted to give them a middle-finger.

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

I see lots of influencers, YouTubers etc. promote VPN services. But; isn't that against Steam (and other platforms') policies? It seems pretty odd and contradicting to me.

How do you make the connection between YTbers and Steam that makes VPN promotion a contradiction? They don't work for Valve. They are free to promote VPNs as long as they're getting paid by those VPN companies to do so.

Most of the things the ads claim VPNs can do are just things that the internet already does by default, like end-to-end encryption (and if the website wasn't doing end-to-end encryption, the VPN's connection to the website wouldn't really be end-to-end either).

Basically the only thing you can do with a commercial VPN that they advertise about it is having your data come from an IP address in a different country.

If you want to use a VPN for its actual purpose (connecting to a network that isn't the one you're physically located in), you're gonna get a lot more benefits out of one that actually connects to a network you or your employer controls. If you're going for anti-censorship, use something actually designed for that like Tor.

Oprindeligt skrevet af rawWwRrr:

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

I see lots of influencers, YouTubers etc. promote VPN services. But; isn't that against Steam (and other platforms') policies? It seems pretty odd and contradicting to me.

How do you make the connection between YTbers and Steam that makes VPN promotion a contradiction? They don't work for Valve. They are free to promote VPNs as long as they're getting paid by those VPN companies to do so.

I dunno, it is like going to a nursing home and promote protein supplements to help bodybuilding.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Ben Lubar:

Most of the things the ads claim VPNs can do are just things that the internet already does by default, like end-to-end encryption (and if the website wasn't doing end-to-end encryption, the VPN's connection to the website wouldn't really be end-to-end either).

Basically the only thing you can do with a commercial VPN that they advertise about it is having your data come from an IP address in a different country.

If you want to use a VPN for its actual purpose (connecting to a network that isn't the one you're physically located in), you're gonna get a lot more benefits out of one that actually connects to a network you or your employer controls. If you're going for anti-censorship, use something actually designed for that like Tor.

I am cool with censorship [except political ones obviously], actually. There must always be a barrier. I do not like applications like Tor because they let people to enter shady side of the internet. It might be an unpopular opinion but; this is what I think. Controversial, eh? :D

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

Oprindeligt skrevet af rawWwRrr:

How do you make the connection between YTbers and Steam that makes VPN promotion a contradiction? They don't work for Valve. They are free to promote VPNs as long as they're getting paid by those VPN companies to do so.

I dunno, it is like going to a nursing home and promote protein supplements to help bodybuilding.

It sounds more like someone at the nursing home watching an ad on TV for protein supplements wondering what good is it for them? Maybe consider they aren't promoting VPNs to just you for your hope of getting games that aren't available to you.

Oprindeligt skrevet af rawWwRrr:

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

I dunno, it is like going to a nursing home and promote protein supplements to help bodybuilding.

It sounds more like someone at the nursing home watching an ad on TV for protein supplements wondering what good is it for them? Maybe consider they aren't promoting VPNs to just you for your hope of getting games that aren't available to you.

Maybe you are right, my thinking was flawed. But, they actually say "You can watch content which is not available for your region. blah blah blah". It may cause people to lose their Netflix accounts maybe. And when I said Netflix, I actually meant all of the platforms such as Spotify, Disney+, Hulu, Steam, EPIC etc. I don't know something feels off to me but cannot name it for sure.

they promote it because they are cheap. They promote the rock bottom services lol
But as long as u don't play the system on Steam to get reduced prices, it doens't matter

Using a VPN to browse and use the forums and to browse the store is fine.

You just cannot use a VPN to pretend to be in a region you don't live in when purchasing something.

Some games you play, especially online games, do not like the use of VPN's and may see them as a way of cheating. Just be aware of this fact. It may ban you from certain online games.

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Ben Lubar:

If you want to use a VPN for its actual purpose (connecting to a network that isn't the one you're physically located in), you're gonna get a lot more benefits out of one that actually connects to a network you or your employer controls. If you're going for anti-censorship, use something actually designed for that like Tor.

I am cool with censorship [except political ones obviously], actually. There must always be a barrier. I do not like applications like Tor because they let people to enter shady side of the internet. It might be an unpopular opinion but; this is what I think. Controversial, eh? :D

I'm talking about the kind of censorship that the US Naval Research Laboratory designed onion routing to get around. (Yes, Tor was invented by the US government.) The kind of internet filtering done by governments to stop people from reporting on atrocities.

Oprindeligt skrevet af 𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖆:

I see lots of influencers, YouTubers etc. promote VPN services. But; isn't that against Steam (and other platforms') policies? It seems pretty odd and contradicting to me.

It is risky, and influencers either promote them due to the money or due to factors like piracy, Online Safety Act, etc.

Keep in mind VPN services means using someone else's Internet connection, and if that connection is being abused you can potentially be punished accordingly.

Think about it this way: you pay for a servie to hide you and then you use your Steam login to identify you. Thats how logical these ads are.