The biggest headlines for Twitch this year have been focused on the past. Last month, high-profile streamer Guy “Dr Disrespect” Beahm admitted he was permanently banned from Twitch in 2020 after exchanging “messages with an individual minor back in 2017”. Following reports, a former Twitch employee stated Beahm continued to send sexually explicit messages even after the minor’s age was known. His admission was somewhat prompted by his removal from his own development studio.
It’s a shocking story and one Twitch seems keen to distance itself from. When I asked specifically for comment on the Dr. Disrespect story, I received a flat “no comment”. That’s not surprising: Twitch never comments on specific streamer cases and is instead focused on its platform.
However, Twitch did follow up to emphasise the importance of safety on the platform. “Harassment has no place on Twitch, and we take enforcement of our harassment and hateful conduct policies seriously,” a spokesperson told me, before detailing a number of features used to promote safety including Automod, Shield Mode, and follower verification. “These tools, in addition to our ongoing, 24/7 content moderation, help prevent harassment on Twitch. We continue to build on this work.”
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