Twitch is promising to keep people safe online by making modifications to the platform that will hopefully protect youngsters. Because Twitch has so many prominent streamers, millions of viewers tune in each month to watch their favourite content providers. Of course, it also attracts people who want to earn a living from streaming, and amid all of these active players, the website is certain to attract a spate of youthful viewers, which has its own set of issues.
Twitch is no stranger to controversy, having faced media and user reactions on several occasions. Gambling broadcasts are among the most popular, with famous stars like Adin Ross and xQc being given rich sponsorship agreements. There was also the recent saga over changes to the way the Amazon-owned platform compensates content producers, which has those who rely on streaming anxious about their revenue. Then there was last year’s “hate raid” controversy, in which many people, notably those in the LGBTQ+ community, were subjected to a barrage of hate-filled communications.
Twitch seems to be aiming to protect even more individuals on its service, with certain adjustments being applied to further safeguard youngsters. According to a Twitch blog post, such upgrades include “increasing the signals” that go toward identifying and deleting any users under the age of 13. There will also be necessary “phone verification procedures” to prevent minors from live streaming using fake accounts. In addition, the business claims it will improve its moderation system to “examine specific user complaints” to prioritise incidents involving underage users.
It remains to be seen how effective these new safeguards will be. According to a recent investigation, there are around 2000 predators on Twitch, which has resulted in thousands of youngsters being groomed. This has prompted the streaming site to take action, with Twitch’s product head Tom Verrilli responding to the news that “even one single case of grooming is repulsive.” According to a recent blog post from the company, efforts to safeguard underage users are underway.
While there are other streaming sites, such as YouTube, Twitch is without a doubt the most popular streaming website on the internet. With millions of subscribers and a slew of extremely popular content providers, it’s many people’s first port of call for live broadcasts, which means the site must do all possible to ensure people feel comfortable.
