Patreon CEO Jack Conte has detailed the ongoing struggles his company faces with payment processors like Stripe and Mastercard, who wield significant power over what constitutes acceptable 'adult content.' These financial networks can threaten to halt transactions, effectively dictating content policies for platforms that rely on them. Conte expressed a desire to support artists, particularly those exploring unconventional or boundary-pushing themes, but noted that platforms like Patreon have limited leverage against these powerful payment networks.
This issue resonates with recent policy shifts on Steam and Itch.io concerning 'adult-only' content. Both platforms updated their policies last year, granting banks and payment processors a decisive role in defining permissible NSFW material. This led to a substantial number of game delistings and de-indexing, with Itch.io experiencing thousands of affected listings. While an Australian lobby group, Collective Shout, has claimed responsibility for pressuring these financial entities, the practice of using 'financial deplatformisation' to suppress controversial material is not new; similar actions by payment partners prompted Patreon to suspend creators in 2018.
Many game developers, including established names like Bay 12 Games (Dwarf Fortress) and emerging studios such as the creators of Paralives, utilize Patreon. Although outright pornography and depictions of sexual activity between adults are prohibited on the platform, Patreon's community guidelines are notably more specific than Steam's broad restrictions. Patreon's policies define terms like 'visible states of bodily arousal' and address specific bodily fluids, a level of detail that contrasts with Steam's more general prohibition of "certain kinds of adult only content" and material that is "patently offensive or intended to shock or disgust viewers."
In an interview with The Verge, Conte elaborated on Patreon's history of negotiations with payment providers over 'adult' material definitions. He stated that in the early days, there was little recourse, but as the company grew, he actively engaged with executives from payment processors, although not specifically Stripe, to discuss these challenges. "If they’re threatening to not be a partner to us anymore, then it’s not just that creator’s income that’s at stake. It’s the $10 billion that we’ve processed on behalf of creators since the company was founded," Conte explained, emphasizing the critical need to protect creator income.
Patreon has historically collaborated with payment partners to align content policies. Conte highlighted that content policies are dynamic, adapting to cultural shifts and technological advancements, such as the emergence of generative AI for non-consensual nudity. To gain more agency, Patreon developed a "hot-swappable payments architecture." This system allows them to switch between processors more easily, providing significant leverage in negotiations. "If we can hold back volume from them because we’re not happy with their content policy decisions, that helps us," Conte said. "That helps us fight on behalf of our creators and have the right content policy that we want for us."
However, the ultimate influence often resides with the banks that own these payment processing networks. Conte acknowledged that these pressures extend "all the way up the chain," necessitating both a collaborative approach and the development of internal systems to increase agency. The situation with Itch.io, which is reportedly seeking new payment processors more amenable to adult content, appears analogous to Patreon's position several years ago.
Conte maintains that "we have to have free human expression in some capacity," invoking the Overton window concept to advocate for a wider range of acceptable discourse. Patreon supports various forms of expression, including nudity, marijuana-related content, and discussions about alcohol. "I want artists on Patreon. I want people who push the edge. I want people who expand the Overton window," he stated. Patreon aims to foster an environment that supports creators on the fringes, whom Conte believes drive societal progress, supported by content policies and a payment infrastructure designed to accommodate this diversity.