I signed the petition, posted a comment on Collective Shout’s Facebook page, and wrote to itch.io and Visa to let them know about my concern and disapproval.
Here are my messages — feel free to copy and paste them to send to your own institutions:
Movies with murder don’t normalize killing. Video games with horse racing don’t normalize compulsive gambling. And sexual themes in fiction do not increase violent sexual crimes in real life. A healthy outlet for unacceptable compulsions is fiction. Don’t leave reality as the only playground for deviants. That’s not how you keep your daughters safe. No one is against virtue, but claiming that being against real-life rape means we must also oppose fictional depictions of it is profoundly dishonest.
and
Subject: Stop Financial Censorship on Legal Fictional Content
Message:
I am writing as a concerned customer to urge Visa to stop enforcing content-based restrictions on legal fictional material.
Movies depicting murder don’t normalize killing. Video games with horse racing don’t normalize compulsive gambling. Likewise, sexual themes in fiction do not increase real-world violent sexual crimes.
By pressuring platforms like itch.io and Steam to remove adult games that are entirely legal, Visa is not protecting anyone. Instead, it harms independent creators worldwide, suppresses artistic expression, and sets a dangerous precedent where financial institutions dictate what art can exist.
Fiction provides a safe outlet for unacceptable compulsions. Forcing creators out of digital marketplaces only risks leaving reality as the only outlet for deviants. That is not how you keep anyone safe.
No one is against virtue, but equating opposition to real-life crimes with censorship of fictional depictions is profoundly dishonest.
I ask Visa to immediately stop imposing these restrictions and allow lawful transactions for lawful content.