If you’re paranoid about this then just make a new account on a VM or fresh install of an OS - you’ll be in a VPN anyway, only other possibility would be if they were tracking the other accounts that had been logged in locally and associating them.
I think the rule would only apply to paid games since it exists to prevent people from buying games for cheap on markets other than theirs. So I'm not sure Valve would ban users for adding a F2P game to their library with a VPN.
TIL I've been breaking the TOS for years. I regularly use a VPN to access steam, though only incidentally as the machine is usually connected to the VPN all rhe time. Never had a problem.
One time I fucked up and accidentally had my VPN set to Ireland (I usually set it to Florida or New York, I'm in NC and they passed a porn ban here, so it's the only way I can get e621)
Glad I noticed that my prices were suddenly in pounds instead of dollars before I fucked up
It might actually be unenforceable, I'm surprised they haven't quietly dropped it, but I think it's there so they can bust people for abusing a VPN to cheat the system (Buy games where the exchange rate is more favorable for an American gamer)
Yeah, I've always expected they reserve it for people mass buying games from other regions. Or at least some legal defence if someone complains about people playing games that aren't allowed in their region.
People abusing that is also often brought up as a reason or at least excuse for publishers to bleed developing countries dry when it comes to pricing, ask me how I know :/
I feel so bad for countries that had to settle for what's known as "SlavJank", because back in the day the tax on imports was so high that doom cost you 5000 dollars. The ones that didn't have copyright laws at the time and thus could get bootlegs really easily had it lucky.
Btw, anyone ever hear of the Eastern European exclusive Monkey Island sequel "Donkey Island" ?