NSFW: Itch Begins Relisting, Banking Partners Put Pressure on Stripe

In its developer updates, Itch initially announced the relisting of free NSFW content. Itch also published a disturbing statement from its payment partner Stripe.

According to its own statements, the Itch platform has begun relisting NSFW content. However, in a first step, only free adult content will be made available again. As a note to the relevant developers, Itch says that relisting is currently only possible if the setting is set to ‘no payments,’ meaning that payments are completely disabled.

According to its own statements, Itch is negotiating with payment processors to bring NSFW paid content back to the platform. However, Itch did not provide any further details.

The background to this is that payment providers are pressuring gaming platforms such as Itch, but also Steam, not to list NSFW content. This, in turn, is leading to massive resistance from the industry.

The developer association IGDA has also spoken out, as have established publisher associations such as game and UKIE.

At its core, the question is to what extent service companies such as payment providers have the right to influence content and indirectly censor unwelcome content on third-party platforms by exerting pressure through their business relationships.

In this context, a statement by Itch's long-standing partner Stripe is also interesting. According to its own statements, Stripe asked Itch to forward this to Itch users. It confirms the pressure that is being built up and reads as follows:

"Stripe is currently unable to support sexually explicit content due to restrictions placed on them by their banking partners, despite card networks generally supporting adult content (with the appropriate registrations). Stripe has indicated that they hope to be able to support adult content in the future."

Regardless of how one feels about NFSW content, the approach taken by payment providers is unacceptable from the perspective of the creative industry, as they are ultimately positioning themselves as moral gatekeepers who decide which products may or may not be sold.

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