Twitch to provide more “specifics and clarity” over bans

Twitch has confirmed that it’s looking to improve the way it hands out bans, with video evidence of any infraction sent to the streamer in question.

As it stands, streamers are told about bans and suspensions via email, alongside the reason for the punishment, where the violation occurred, and the length of the resulting suspension. However, Twitch currently only tells creators what rule was broken without sharing details about the violating incident in question.

This means some streamers are left in the dark about what they did wrong, while others can, according to the Washington Post, feign ignorance to garner support from their fanbase.

To combat this, Twitch VP of trust and safety Angela Hession has said that suspension emails that include clips of infractions are likely on the way.

“Safety is a journey, and this is a number-one ask from our community. So we’re looking at how we can attach more details for people to understand — like the video itself. That’s something we’re definitely working on,” Hession told the Washington Post before adding that more “specifics and clarity” will come after Twitch has nailed down how it wants to roll out the feature.

Speaking about the potential decrease in moderation on platforms like Twitter (thanks to Elon Musk’s takeover bid) and how that will affect the Twitch community, Hession said “that safety is a priority (for us). If you look at our off-services policy, it’s very much making sure that no physical harm happens to our community here on Twitch. I would say our off-services policy is broader than just one platform. It’s multiple platforms, and our intention is to make sure that we are constantly ensuring that our community feels safe.”

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Twitch would be investigated by New York’s attorney general Letitia James for the role the platform played in the recent racially-motivated mass shooting in Buffalo. Other platforms like Discord and 4Chan are also set to be looked into.