Twitch has brought in multiple new guidelines targeting dress code and conduct, both things coming into effect today, March 5th.
Twitch has been a bit of a sore issue for most people, many believing that nothing has been done to stop toxic people from spewing their hatred while others feel as though Twitch getting involved in issues such as the Aqualadora case is getting in the way of freedom of speech. So will these new guidelines help?
In the update FAQ posted on their blog a couple of days ago, Twitch had this to say: “Creators are role models and leaders of the communities they create or foster around them. Creators should consider the consequences of their statements and actions of their audiences; we ask that you make a good faith effort to quell any efforts from those in your community to harass others.
“Twitch should not be used to incite, encourage, promote, facilitate, or organize hateful conduct or harassment, whether on or off Twitch. We will suspend communities, organizations, and individuals that do so.”
And if Twitch users think they can escape these guidelines by simply taking themselves to social media like Twitter, you won’t be safe there either. Twitch also stated, “our desire to moderate verifiable off-Twitch harassment stems from our belief that ignoring conduct when we are able to verify and attribute it to a Twitch account compromises one of our most important goals: every Twitch user can bring their whole authentic selves to the Twitch community without fear of harassment.”
Another issue that Twitch has mentioned they are looking into is the dress code of their streamers, such as whether their attire while streaming is considered appropriate or not.
This may have come to light due to a wave of outcry against so-called ‘booby streamers’, streamers that, you guessed it, show their cleavage while playing. Whether you believe it matters or not, Twitch has now started to take this very seriously.
In their FAQ, they state: “When evaluating reports for sexual conduct, attire is just one factor we will use in making a determination on whether conduct is acceptable. We recommend creators wear attire that would be publicly appropriate for the context, location, and activity they are broadcasting. For example, workout clothes would be appropriate for a fitness stream and a swimsuit would be appropriate for a stream from a public beach.”
With the effects of the guideline coming in today it is only a matter of time before we see the outcome of these new rules and whether they’ve helped the Twitch community, or not at all.
Image Credit: Urg Graham / Wikimedia
Image Credit: Daniel Benavides / Wikimedia
