Twitch Usernames Referring To Sex, Violence, Or Drugs Will Now Be Banned In Policy Shakeup
Twitch isn't pulling any punches as it plans to tighten its rules on usernames, particularly those referring to "sexual acts", "hard drugs", or "violence".
11th Feb 2022 15:59
Image Credit: Twitch
Twitch Usernames Referring To Sex, Violence, Or Drugs Will Now Be Banned In Policy Shakeup
Twitch isn't pulling any punches as it plans to tighten its rules on usernames, particularly those referring to "sexual acts", "hard drugs", or "violence".
11th Feb 2022 15:59
Image Credit: Twitch
Twitch is planning to tighten its grip on "hateful conduct" in a policy shakeup which will see users with names referring to "inappropriate" topics banned from the platform.
When it comes to making sure its users stick to the rules, Twitch isn't afraid to dish out quick and harsh punishments to those who break them. The streaming platform has tried hard in recent times to ensure that the website is a safe space for all and that any forms of offensive behaviour are eradicated for good.
There have been a number of occasions in which Twitch has quickly removed "inappropriate" content from the platform, whether it's for violently "sexist" comments or "racist slurs". However, Twitch has gone one step further to ensure the safety of its users by announcing an update of its username policies.
What Are Twitch's New Username Policies?
Twitch announced its new username policies via a blog post posted on February 10. In the post, Twitch said: "We want to make Twitch the kind of place where everybody feels at home. And we know curbing hateful conduct and harassment is a vital part of making Twitch a safe and fun place to spend your time. As a next step in achieving that goal, we’re updating our Username Policy to set a higher bar for what’s acceptable to better serve our global community."
The new update will specifically target usernames which include "hate speech, threats of violence, and personally identifiable information." Reported usernames that contain references to "sexual acts, arousal, fluids, or genitalia" as well as "hard drugs — excluding alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana" will also be removed.
The way the new update will work is through a "tiered enforcement approach", in which users with existing names which violate the new rules will receive an indefinite suspension. Whereas, usernames that violate the new policy but do not break wider Community Guidelines will be "flagged for reset and locked until the username is changed." As for new users, Twitch's machine learning model will disallow them from being able to create "inappropriate" usernames in the first place.
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When Does Twitch's New Username Policy Begin?
Twitch will implement its new username rules on March 1, 2022, in order to give current content creators time to make changes to their accounts, if need be.
However, Twitch has banned plenty of "inappropriate" usernames in the past. For example, recently streamer "Doaenel" was confused as to why he was suddenly banned from the platform after having used the name since 2019.
Twitch also called upon its users to report any inappropriate usernames which manage to slip through its machine learning model. Bringing the post to its conclusion, Twitch stated: "We want Twitch to be safe. We want Twitch to be inclusive. We want Twitch to be a place for positivity. Thank you for your continued partnership in helping make Twitch a place we all want to be."
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About The Author
Emma Hill
Emma Hill is a former Junior Journalist at GGRecon.
