Live-streaming service Twitch has introduced new rules to stop harassment and hate, including a ban against posting the Confederate flag.
The other notable change to Twitch’s “Hateful Conduct and Harassment Policy” involves a ban on repeatedly commenting about a live streamer’s physical attractiveness. Twitch says it will no longer tolerate the behavior if the offending user has been told to stop.
“We know that many people on Twitch—particularly women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Black, Indigenous, and people of color—unfortunately continue to experience a disproportionate amount of harassment and abuse online, including on our service,” it wrote in today’s announcement.
In June, Twitch faced controversy over claims it did nothing to stop incidents of harassment from company partners toward live streamers, particularly women. In some cases, Twitch streamers also allegedly preyed on users who were underage.
The company’s updated policy is now over twice as long and includes specific examples of what behavior is no longer allowed. The Confederate flag, for instance, has been banned under Twitch’s rules against using hateful imagery, with the company citing its historic association with slavery and white supremacist groups.
The company added: “Making lewd or explicit comments about anyone’s sexuality or physical appearance is prohibited. Note that we do not make an exception for public figures.” Sending unwanted links to nude photos or videos is also against the rules.
The updated policy goes into effect Jan. 22, and will only apply to new content. Users can also discuss a hateful or abusive incident for the purposes of education or satire, as long as there’s enough context.
Violating the new policy could land a user with a warning, temporary suspension from 24 hours to 30 days, or an account ban in the most severe cases. “We support users who express diverse or unpopular points of view, as long as this behavior is not hateful or harassing,” the policy adds.
