Twitch has updated its policies in an attempt to help prevent the spread of misinformation on the streaming platform.
In a new blog post, Twitch has updated its policies regarding misinformation. “Every day, people come together on Twitch to build communities that celebrate a variety of interests, passions, and talents,” writes Twitch in the post. “We’re proud that Twitch can bring people together – but we do not believe that individuals who use online services to spread false, harmful information, have a place in our community.“
The new policy is specifically called the Spam, Scams and Malicious Conduct Policy. Twitch notes in the post that it has “partnered with over a dozen researchers and experts to understand how harmful misinformation spreads online.” In its research, Twitch identified three characteristics that bad actors share online: that they (1) persistently share (2) widely disproven and broadly shared (3) harmful misinformation topics like conspiracies that promote violence.
Twitch also notes that it will only “enforce against actors who meet all three of these criteria.” And that currently misinformation isn’t hugely prevalent on Twitch. But they know it can evolve quickly, so are getting in early to prevent it.
The streaming platform also provided some examples of what they are talking about in its community guidelines. This policy can cover:
- Misinformation (such as feigning distress, posting misleading metadata, or intentional channel miscategorization)
- Harmful health misinformation and wide-spread conspiracy theories related to dangerous treatments, COVID-19, and COVID-19 vaccine misinformation
- Misinformation promoted by conspiracy networks tied to violence and/or promoting violence
- Civic misinformation that undermines the integrity of a civic or political process
It’s worth reading the community guidelines yourself to get a full picture of what the new policy covers.
Shop With GameByte!
Don’t forget you can find great games and more on the GameByte Shop! Our store is stocked up with the latest games, merch and accessories. We might even have a new-gen console or two! Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of our console drops, deals and more. Please note the GameByte Shop is available for UK customers only.
Featured Image Credit: Twitch