I really don't know much about Steam because I boycotted it for years, and then since joining a couple of years ago all I use it for is to play my games, and most of the time I do that in offline mode.

So I know almost nothing at all about all the various features of Steam, but was playing around today and saw something that made me really do a WTF???

First, I didn't know one could authorize others to have access to games in your library, and while I like that idea, I'm guessing it's now what I'm thinking (i.e. others could play games I own on their computer... I doubt that's what it means). So if anyone could help me understand what that "authorized access" means I would appreciate it.

Secondly, and this is the major WTF? thing, could you look at my screenshot and explain what that is that's checked??? Is that some user's name somewhere that I've granted access to??? Because I can absolutely, 100% (not even 99.9999%, but 100%) assure you I have NEVER, EVER gone into this screen and checked (or unchecked for that matter) anyone regarding access.

What the heck is that??? Is that Chelsea thing some sort of universal thing or a real, actual Steam user that apparently has some sort of access to my library????

it's not a general thing, remove it.

google makes it out to be a metal band.

you mean the Chelsea thing??? Go ahead and uncheck it??

yeah uncheck it.

Well now look at the screen shot now..... WTF is going on???

I guess go ahead and uncheck the box that's checked despite there being nothing next to it now??

And how the hell did it disappear in just the time I made these posts???

Yes, that user has access so if you don't know that person remove it and then change your password and activate (or re-activitate) Steam Guard.

To share your library or use someone else you have to share login credentials (e.g password) so don't do it with someone you don't trust (still, it's not the end of the world if they do anything as long as they can't access your e-mail or answer personal questions to change e-mail)

You can change who view your screenshots from private, to friends, friends of friends and public I believe, it's possible public is default (I think it should be private, always private as default..).

maybe if you refresh (go out of settings and back) if it's still there or not?

Well I assure you I don't know that person. The only Chelsea I know of was the daughter of a former President LOL.

This is strange, I guess I do need to change my password.

But does access mean they can actually play my games??? How the heck is that not a violation of the EULA for games??? Jeebus, I think I should be allowed to let my son or spouse play my games on my computers located here at home, but this looks like it means I can grant such access to anyone in the world???? I don't get how that's allowed. I dunno, I went ahead and unchecked it and so now all I see is "No other local accounts found". Which implies that Chesea thing was a local account??

I'm sorry for asking such dumb questions, but I just don't know much about Steam and guess I need to either decide to learn about it or ditch using it. Faced with only those two choices, I guess the latter is the most likely. But I can't keep posting here and asking for help either, I know that's getting old.

It's called family sharing for a reason, you're supposed to only share with those you trust completely. How it's allowed is up to Steam and of course they have rewritten the EULA so they are allowed to offer it (ironic if they would be sued for breach of their own EULA :D).

As for learning or ditching Steam, I think you should learn how it works first and then decide if you want to use it, would make for a more informed decision and plus the chance that you might actually like it (it's not as bad as the anti-DRM purists tell you). You could possibly find a neat video guide on YouTube if you have the patience enough to sort through the crappy ones.

This ^. I think Steam is Ok once you get around its ambiguities.

That is part of Steam Family Sharing. I think (though not really sure) that at that box it will display any other steam accounts that have been accessed by your computer, though unsure how/where those accounts are identified.

Now, as to other people having access to your library, it needs to be done by an authorized user and an authorized computer. Should you wish to play while such an authorized user is playing, he/she will be disconnected after 5 minutes.

Assuming noone else has logged in to steam from your computer, it is probably a glitch. Do take a look at Steam\userdata though, and see if there's one folder only there (your account) or more.

Oh, THANK YOU man. Okay, that makes more sense. I always said I should be allowed to let my son or spouse play my games on a different computer (still in my house though) as long as I don't play the same game at the same time. This 5 minute thing makes sense then, as that shouldn't violate the EULA rules or intent.

Thank you very much, makes much more sense to me now. Although I take it that means I could actually grant such access to my son who now no longer lives with me??? That's actually pretty cool, but goes further than even what I was hoping for.

And I'll take a look at my folder right now.

about that authorized accounts ive got someone on that list aswell not checked but still its there but its the account of my girlfriend who once logged in through my steam to activate a game key so maybe someone had access to your machine and started steam from there?

The Family Sharing is as you want to be with one caveat: if you play any games from your account, it will boot the other person. So you share your whole library at once and then take it all back at once.

I think it's very handy.