The creator of maps for CS2 under the nickname Lillykyu, has encountered a problem, her new popular map Jetpack Joychicken has received a shadow ban on Steam. This situation sparked discussions after Lillykyu revealed the problem on her X profile. The reason is the use of bots to mass report on the map, which automatically resulted in a shadow ban.
The problem is that bans on Steam Workshop happen automatically when a large number of reports are received, and there is no way to quickly fix the effects. The map is still available for download, but it appears less frequently in the listings, and comments and links on the page have been removed. Lillykyu believes this is due to competitors using bots and fake DMCA requests to raise their maps in the rankings while blocking other authors' work.
The situation on Steam Workshop
This is far from the first time content creators have faced injustice on the platform. Lillykyu emphasized that the developers of the original Jetpack Joyride game have no beef with her map. However, she is almost certain that she knows who is behind the massive reports, suggesting that some map creators are using unfair methods to promote their work. Furthermore, such cases are becoming increasingly common on Steam, raising questions about the integrity and safety of the platform for content creators.
Sadly this is becoming very common on the steam workshop, after a submission has received enough reports it happens automatically with no way to ask for it to be taken away, the map can still be downloaded and played but is now less likely to be shown on the workshop and has all…
— Lillykyu (@LillyKyu778) September 22, 2024
Possible bot attack from a casino site
One commenter under the nickname n0tw0rd recalled that casino sites had previously contacted the mapper in some way. Lillykyu had previously turned down a ClashGG representative's offer to sponsor her Jetpack Joychicken map. In her response, the mapmaker made it clear that she was not going to mislead her subscribers.
I would take a sponsor from tradeit before that thing pic.twitter.com/L6L5NNUHBG
— Lillykyu (@LillyKyu778) September 17, 2024
Implications and conclusion
Lillykyu called on Valve to step in and deal with the situation to protect the rights of content creators from unfair competition. The situation raises important questions about the protection of content on Steam Workshop and raises concerns about abuse of the reporting system.
Ultimately, this story emphasizes the importance of a fair approach to moderating content, and the need for platforms to take an active role in addressing such issues in order to protect independent developers and maintain community trust.
Source: Steam Workshop
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