“It’s a security hole that endangers democracy itself.” NieR creator speaks out against payment processors pressuring Japanese adult content platforms – AUTOMATON WEST
“It’s a security hole that endangers democracy itself.” NieR creator speaks out against payment processors pressuring Japanese adult content platforms – AUTOMATON WEST
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Link to other similar incidents of Visa/Mastercard censoring or forcing japanese media sites over the years.
[Niconico mass deletes adult media](https://automaton-media.com/en/nongaming-news/niconico-mass-deletes-videos-and-shuts-down-adult-oriented-fanart-portal-to-comply-with-international-laws/)
[Visa Japan CEO says disabling card payment for legal adult content is necessary to protect brand](https://automaton-media.com/en/news/visa-japans-ceo-says-disabling-card-payment-for-legal-adult-content-is-necessary-to-protect-the-brand/)
https://automaton-media.com/en/news/nier-creator-speaks-out-against-payment-processors-pressuring-japanese-adult-content-platforms/
[Melonbooks runs into trouble with international credit card companies ](https://automaton-media.com/en/nongaming-news/japanese-manga-and-game-store-melonbooks-becomes-the-latest-japanese-platform-to-run-into-trouble-with-international-payment-processors/)
Edit: There are more like Zlibrary, DLsite, Pixiv, R18(now forced to shutdown).
Let’s be real. Japanese practice about sex material is sub par and so many pedos defending it is freaking disgusting.
It’s not only that. Collective Shout is at fault for the games that were banned this week on Steam and they want other games gone too (e.g. Detroit Become Human, games with LGBTQ in it etc.). Things are currently going backwards quickly and people just let it happen.
In a post on his personal X account, Yoko Taro commented:
>About credit card payment companies refusing to process payments for legal adult content.
>Publishing and similar fields have always faced regulations that go beyond the law, but the fact that a payment processor, which is involved in the entire infrastructure of content distribution, can do such things at its own discretion seems to me to be dangerous on a whole new level.
>It implies that by controlling payment processing companies, you can even censor another country’s free speech.
For a second there I though it was some helldivers related headline
This is why every self-respecting country, or an alliance of countries, should have their own payment processor instead of relying on USA’s companies.
VISA, Mastercard, and Paypal have been doing this for decades.
Dont forget. Shout is just a mouthpiece. Go for the head.
>It’s a security hole that endangers democracy itself.
It always starts like this: “We are introducing this to ensure safety…”, “We are doing this to protect children…” etc. so that after a few years they can control what you buy and if they don’t like the purchase – block account, ban, w/e.
>PayPal had practices that allowed it to block access to users’ funds based on specific activities, which could include purchases or trading activities. Users complained about sudden and unwarranted blocking or even permanent bans on their accounts, often without prior warning and with the inability to withdraw accumulated funds for up to six months. Blocked payments can be released, for example, by confirming delivery or updating the order status, but the block can last up to 21 days to prevent complaints and fraud.
Atleast we have UPI in India which works for most platforms.
Based Yoko Taro, as usual.
They don’t seem to have a problem taking money from people like Epstein who’s bank account is still active mind you, but a game where you make a girl orgasm to close a portal to hell, that’s to much for the gaming company
I think steam has enough money to be it’s own payment processor…
I’m scared that everything will be sanitized, squeaky clean. Everything they deemed “deviant” will be gone. It’s not that I’m opposed to banning illegal content, of course those should be gone. But letting a payment processor censor us?
This is insane. The world will be more boring. Will be more controlled.
I am honestly scared
For once someone on social media is not exaggerating. Although it doesn’t endanger democracy, it endangers universal laws of economy. Prohibiting someone from using money is like blocking someone from using public space. The sad part is – people don’t care as long as the problem doesn’t touch them. So it may take *a lot* of boiling for the frog to finally notice.
Japan doesn’t have much ground to stand on when their practice of suing anyone with a similar idea to their own in games (Nintendo as a small but recent example) and stifling creativity to say, “We can’t let these external parties control and censor us”
Pot meet kettle?
My shitty opinion, all of this stuff is stupid.
A lot of people don’t care right now because it’s targeting gooner games. The problem I see though is when it’s done with those games who do you think will be next? For example, every GTA that comes out faces calls for bans all the time. If you allow a 3rd party this much power it will be common place to ban even AAA games. It’s why there is also push back when the government blames video games in a lot of countries, it’s the same thing with a different face.
I mean I tend to agree. It should not be up to the payment processors to police the content.
As long as the transaction is legal it should be processed.
Isn’t it funny how you can start a site that says “I’ll overturn democracy and become a dictator on day one of my reign” and those payment providers shrug shoulders and go “Guess that’s alright within our TOS” but you put some tiddies out there and they get a seizure?^^
Why do I have a feeling that if you were to trace the money, you somehow end up with the usual suspects like heritage foundation and all the other right-wing billionaire goonsquads?
It starts as “ban porn! Protect the children” which is reasonable enough for most people. Everyone can agree that kids shouldn’t be exposed to things like that.
But then they start broadening the definition of “porn” they start including things like lgbtq+ representation, kissing, sharing a bed, holding hands, and wearing clothes deemed too revealing (like a tank top).
They start by banning Porn, then they start redefining Porn.
Sorry off topic, but this reads like a democracy officer quote.
Didn’t we go through this shit all the way back in the 1950’s with the fucking Hayes code, and we eventually overturned that shit. And now these sexually frustrated puritanical assholes are trying to make us all miserable again in 2025.
Why? I still don’t know.
Yoko Taro is right as ever, this shit needs to just stop already.
This is also problem with retail shops or restaurants. In that case the problem is directly by Visa and MasterCard. These companies can take relatively high fees and even forbid sellers to pass the transaction fee to the customer. Because what you are going to do? Ask for cash only? Customers want to use card payments and they’ll do it if there is no additional fee for it. This way we all have to pay to Visa and Mastercard.
Good thing is that at least in the EU things are bit better. Each bank has to support instant SEPA payments, so at least online bank transfers don’t take forever. And soon retailers will be forced to accept payments trough QR code.
It’s still not perfect, instead of two organizations you have to accept third one, but at least there is more choice. And incentives of EU are at least different. Visa and MasterCards are the same evil.