This isn't a new thing, nor is it unique to Steam. Most major platforms price their services differently between markets- it's in any business's interest to bring in as much revenue as possible from a market without pricing everyone out. For every country with higher pricing than the US, there are at least as many priced below the dollar.
And we're paying for this shit! What is it going to take to make these shitty AI companies pay for their own energy? They don't even have a good product to show for all the waste.
Ah yes, another reason not to give me ID to these tech companies. Anyone that demands my ID online can go fuck themselves while I find a replacement service.
It doesn't take much effort to take an appliance model number and Google it to see the features list. People are just stupid and don't bother to spend even 5 minutes researching their large purchases.
If you want your fridge to tell you its temp, just slap your own temp sensor in it. Put a mic by your laundry machine to detect the buzzer and alert you. DIY all the things, don't give these "smart" appliance companies money to spy on you.
I've gotten plenty of tech jobs without LinkedIn, including one this year.