Twitch has swiftly rescinded its policy update that initially allowed users to post sexual content if appropriately labelled. In a subsequent update, the company reversed its position, disallowing any depictions of actual or fictional nudity on its streaming platform. The about-face occurred after Twitch faced backlash for permitting “artistic nudity,” as some streamers violated the policy.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: GeForce Now launches in South Africa
We’ve gotten feedback that our policies around sexual content are unclear so we’ve drawn clearer boundaries between what is & isn’t permitted on Twitch.
— Twitch (@Twitch) December 13, 2023
We also recognize that not everyone wants to see certain content, so we’re updating our criteria for homepage recommendations. pic.twitter.com/rvZ4kFADR6
The initial approval of sexually explicit content met with “community concern,” prompting Twitch to acknowledge that it had gone too far with the change. Despite intending to allow the “digital depiction” of artistic nudity, the company clarified that the concern arises when digital depictions of sexual content can be created using artificial intelligence, blurring the line between digitally produced and real images.
At TwitchCon in Las Vegas, the platform introduced new moderation measures to prevent inappropriate content in stream chats. Twitch has grappled with issues of sexual abuse and inconsistent moderation policies, leading to the establishment of a Safety Advisory Council in 2020 to address the platform’s reputation regarding moderation practices.
The fluctuating stance on sexually explicit content by Twitch has sparked frustration among users. One user on X, @Saruei_, expressed discontent, stating, “I got banned wrongly under your new policy for drawing a nude character without any visible genitalia. This is your own responsibility for not thinking through before establishing a new TOS, and it is incredibly unfair to many artists who found themselves in the same situation as myself.”