Steam chat tool removes slurs, but it should remove the slur users

Moderating language is difficult for any platform. But Valve Software is trying to take on this challenge with a new Steam feature called Chat Filtering. This enables Steam members to opt into an algorithm that obscures what Valve calls “commonly used strong profanity and slurs sent via chat.”

Chat filtering is available in beta as part of Valve’s Steam Labs experiments. And the idea is to give players control over their chatting experience in Steam Chat or in supported games (like Dota 2). And while this is a necessary and useful option, it also feels like it is potentially trying to shift responsibility away from Steam and onto individuals.