eSAFETY GUIDE
Steam logo

Steam

13+
Minimum age according to Steam
13+ Minimum age according to Steam

What is Steam?

Steam is a gaming platform that can be downloaded to PCs and mobile devices. You can set up a profile, download, purchase and play game titles. You can add friends and communicate via online messaging and voice chat. Steam allows members to live stream their gameplay and facilitates in-game purchases using a Steam Wallet. Funds can be added to this wallet using PayPal, credit cards or Steam Wallet codes, which are for sale at physical stores and online. Counter-Strike is a popular title on Steam.

Website: store.steampowered.com

Apps: Android app, Apple iOS

How do people use Steam?

Learn more about the benefits and risks associated with how people use gaming services like Steam.

Steam is used for: content sharing, gaming, in-app purchasing, live streaming, messaging/online chat, online relationships, photo/video sharing, screen capture and voice chat.

How can you report online abuse or block someone?

This link is provided by Steam:

How can you protect your personal information?

This link is provided by Steam:

  • Steam profile privacy
    Learn how profile privacy works and how to make your account as secure as possible.

Key safety links

These links are provided by Steam:

  • Family View
    Learn how to use Family View and how to configure which content and features of Steam a child can access.
  • Steam Support Knowledge Base
    Offers a range of general help, how-to and troubleshooting information.
  • Rules and guidelines
    Discussions, reviews, and user-generated content as well as guidelines for the use of Steam.
  • Privacy policy
    Explains how your information is collected, stored and used by Valve, the owners of Steam.

Last updated: 04/06/2024

The eSafety Guide helps you find out how to protect your personal information and report harmful content on common social media, games, apps and sites. Entries are for information only and are not reviews or endorsements by eSafety. Before choosing to use any online service or platform it’s best to:

  • do your own research to understand the risks and benefits
  • check the age rating and requirements
  • consider privacy
  • check the permissions and other settings
  • check the in-app reporting options.

If you are a parent or carer who is deciding whether a child should be allowed to use an online service or platform, you can also:

  • consider your child's readiness for the types of content and experiences they might encounter
  • help them understand what to do if they need help
  • provide ongoing support and monitoring, for example through regular check-ins with your child
  • agree to some rules about use of each service or platform.

To find out more, you can read the App checklist for parents, as well as information about parental controls in social media, games and apps and mental wellbeing resources for families.