Terms of Service

Welcome to the Valve IP Protection Portal (“Portal”), a service provided by Valve Corporation (“Valve,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Portal, including all features, functionality, and services offered through the Portal.

By accessing or using the Portal, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Portal. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Your continued use of the Portal following any changes constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

To use the Portal, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction
• Have a valid Steam developer account or Steamworks partner account
• Have legal authority to submit intellectual property claims on behalf of the rights holder
• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your account credentials

You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account. Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security.

The Portal is designed to facilitate the submission and management of intellectual property protection requests. You agree to use the Portal only for its intended purposes and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

3.1 Permitted Uses

• Submitting legitimate intellectual property infringement reports
• Tracking the status of your submitted requests
• Communicating with Valve's enforcement team regarding your cases
• Accessing educational resources about intellectual property protection

3.2 Prohibited Uses

• Submitting false, fraudulent, or misleading claims
• Filing claims for intellectual property you do not own or have authority to represent
• Using the Portal to harass, intimidate, or harm others
• Attempting to circumvent security measures or access unauthorized areas
• Interfering with the proper functioning of the Portal
• Using automated systems or bots to access the Portal without authorization

When submitting an intellectual property claim through the Portal, you represent and warrant that:

• You are the owner of the intellectual property at issue, or are authorized to act on behalf of the owner
• Your claim is made in good faith and based on a genuine belief of infringement
• All information provided in your submission is accurate and complete
• Your claim does not misrepresent the nature or scope of your intellectual property rights

False Claims Warning: Submitting false or fraudulent claims may result in account suspension, legal liability, and other consequences. Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing may be subject to liability.

The Portal facilitates the submission of notices under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) and similar international frameworks. By submitting a DMCA notice, you acknowledge the requirements set forth in 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), including:

• A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed
• Identification of the material alleged to be infringing and its location
• Contact information for the complaining party
• A statement of good faith belief that the use is not authorized
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate

Upon receiving a valid intellectual property claim, Valve will:

• Review the submission for completeness and compliance with applicable requirements
• Investigate the claim using reasonable efforts
• Take appropriate action, which may include content removal, account warnings, or account suspension
• Notify relevant parties as required by law

Valve reserves sole discretion in determining appropriate enforcement actions. We are not obligated to take any specific action and may decline to act on claims that we determine to be incomplete, invalid, or inappropriate.

If you believe your content was removed in error, you may submit a counter-notification in accordance with DMCA requirements. Counter-notifications must include:

• Your physical or electronic signature
• Identification of the removed material and its former location
• A statement under penalty of perjury that removal was the result of mistake or misidentification
• Your name, address, and telephone number
• Consent to jurisdiction in federal court

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, VALVE AND ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM:

• Your access to or use of, or inability to access or use, the Portal
• Any conduct or content of any third party on the Portal
• Any action taken in response to intellectual property claims
• Unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content

IN NO EVENT SHALL VALVE'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY EXCEED ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID VALVE IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Valve and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising from:

• Your use of the Portal
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any intellectual property or other rights of any third party
• Any claim that your submissions caused damage to a third party

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Washington, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or the Portal shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in King County, Washington.

YOU AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT IN A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION.

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Portal immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including breach of these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Portal will immediately cease.

All provisions of the Terms that should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of material changes by posting the updated Terms on the Portal with a new “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of the Portal following the posting of changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us: