Twitch streamer Asmongold is warning the Amazon-owned broadcasting platform to rethink its policies on drinking streams, calling them “unsafe.”
In October, Twitch unveiled Enforcement Notes, a new feature designed to provide important context about what type of content is allowed in an attempt to quickly shut down any controversial metas that may arise.
The Enforcement Notes have already resulted in pushback from VTubers, who aren’t happy with rules about how they must be covered, specifically on the hips, despite the fact that they’re digital avatars.
Twitch also provided clarification about drinking streams, explaining that taking shots of alcohol for subs is prohibited.
However, the site also says: “Drinking goal streams are allowed, provided the drinking that takes place is not excessive and would not reasonably be expected to cause harm.”
As an example, the site said that having a drinking stream when reaching a sub goal is perfectly acceptable.
Asmongold is not a fan of this wording and believes that the platform will come to regret allowing drinking streams.
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While going over the Enforcement Notes during a broadcast, he took issue with drinking stream policies specifically, saying the distinction between what is and isn’t allowed for the broadcasts is “too nuanced.”
(Segment begins at 21:42)
“Twitch is making a mistake by allowing any of it,” he said. “This is so nuanced and so hard to draw the line in, it’s better to just not have alcohol or consumption of alcohol be a component to a reward structure for payment.”
“I think that’s the problem they’re going to run into. It’s so exploitable. It’s so gray, it’s so hard to understand. They will regret the wording. A drinking stream can become unsafe for different people and it can become unsafe for different people of different ratios. I just don’t agree with this.”
The Twitch icon went on to say that he views smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol as the same thing, and wouldn’t allow that either if he had his way.
With so much controversy about Enforcement Notes so far, we’ll have to see if Twitch decides to offer up some extra clarification or adjustments, especially with many streamers up in arms over what is and isn’t allowed.
