Ahead of new California legislation requiring storefronts to make it clear customers are only buying a license for digital content rather than outright owning it, Steam has implemented a message at the point of purchase doing just that.
California’s new legislation, which was signed into law by governor Gavin Newsom at the end of September, is intended to make consumers more aware of the sometimes-temporary nature of digital ownership. It explicitly prohibits sellers from using the words “buy, purchase, or any other term which a reasonable person would understand to confer an unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good” – instead requiring them to display a “clear and conspicuous statement” explaining the nature of their transaction.
And while the legislation, officially known as AB 2426, doesn’t formally comes into effect until next year, Valve has already tweaked Steam’s shopping cart to highlight customers are buying a license – with the changes being displayed internationally, including in the UK. Steam’s shopping cart now features a short message below the ‘Continue to payment’ button, reading, “A purchase of a digital product grants a license for the product on Steam.” That’s followed by a link to the Steam Subscriber Agreement, containing additional information.
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