• zkfcfbzr@lemmy.worldEnglish
    45·
    2 months ago

    Regardless of their motivations this seems like a big positive. Forced arbitration clauses should be illegal and unenforceable in any context where it isn’t customary for both parties to have legal counsel reading over the contract. And it’s appalling that waivers for class action lawsuits are legal at all.

    • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
      9·
      2 months ago

      After the Disney debacle I’ve started noticing how many I see. It’s really infuriating. I already had the opinion that they should be illegal but holy fuck they’re everywhere.

  • DahGangalang@infosec.pub
    322·
    2 months ago

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but this looks like a major _de-_enshitification step on the part of Steam.

    I’m not missing something big, am I?

    • Promethiel@lemmy.world
      13·
      2 months ago

      Software has been leveraged to do mass arbitrations against companies that insist on enforcing it, somewhat leveling the playing field in the power imbalance, at no less a cost than courts ultimately for the corps. Tricky enough they’ve found it hard to make language against them too.

      So in a sense, it is de-enshitification but it is more likely borne from Steam throwing in the towel against a losing proposition (preventing costly mass-arbitration) than doing so because they want every user to have the maximum legal recourse.

      A W is a W though, imo.

    • slazer2au@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      2 months ago

      Previously if you had a dispute with Steam you would go to a mediator appointed Valve and you discuss things with Valve and come to an agreement. Sounds good, as it doesn’t mean you have to involve lawyers.
      Until you realise, Valve is paying for the mediator so the mediator has an incentive to agree with Valve to keep the business. In addition, any agreement is purely between you and Valve. It effects no one else, any previous agreement between Valve and the previous person has no bearing.

      Contrast that to going to court, court decisions are binding and are able to be used in other court proceedings.

    • Bappity@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      2 months ago

      forced arbitration means you can’t go through the normal court system if you want to sue them, instead resolving it through a private neutral third party.

      and before, the waiver meant that you gave up your right to sue them in a class action lawsuit

      getting rid of those is a massive W

    • suburban_hillbilly@lemmy.mlEnglish
      6·
      2 months ago

      Without getting into the weeds of arbitration—if you want to sue Valve for some reason, you now have to file in King county, Washington. This makes it too expensive to be worth it for any amount less than the cost of flying to and staying in Seattle for a lawsuit. Even if you’re right and Valve is wrong.

      Amazon recently did this too and it worked out well for them I guess, since other companies seem to have followed suit.

      • Yozul@beehaw.org
        5·
        2 months ago

        There are much less expensive ways of suing someone than just flying there and staying until the lawsuit is done. They’re still not cheap, but that’s a pretty absurd way of doing it.

        Forced arbitration is also complete bullshit. The fact that corporations are starting to realize it’s almost as bad for them as it is for us doesn’t make it any less bullshit.