Twitch has introduced new features to give viewers more control over the viewing of “adult content.” The platform released a statement detailing functions designed to protect its audience.
In the update, Twitch offers new content filtering and thumbnail blurring options to hide the “content classification labels” (CCLs) used to identify adult content on its platform.
CCLs were launched last year as a measure to protect viewers by categorizing content “to help viewers make informed choices.” A new filtering option will allow users to exclude streams from specific CCL categories.
The new filters can be found in Content Display Settings, located in the Profile Settings menu. The filter allows users to hide CCLs classified as “Sexual Themes,” “Drugs,” “Gambling,” “Violent and Graphic Images,” “Significant Profanity,” and “Mature Rated Games.”
For users under 18 years of age, filters will be enabled by default for all CCL themes except Mature rated games. Logged-out viewers will have default filters turned on for sexual themes and gambling.
Twitch stated: “CCL-tagged streams that you select to filter will not be recommended to you and will not appear when browsing categories or searching for content. If you follow a streamer, their content will be exempt from these settings and will always be displayed, even if it is marked with a CCL that you choose to filter.”
The update also targets content creators, warning that “repeated failure to properly tag your stream will result in a label being applied to your channel that cannot be removed, and the associated label will remain on your account for days or weeks or indefinitely.”
Streamers were urged to read Twitch’s guidelines to understand the criteria for applying CCLs to their content. Gambling-related streams have been a particular concern for Twitch, which updated its community guidelines in 2022 to prohibit the promotion of such content.
The platform committed to banning streams of gambling sites offering slot machines, roulette, or craps unless they are licensed in the US or other jurisdictions with adequate consumer protections.
In August 2023, the policy was further tightened as Twitch introduced a complete ban on all live streaming of gambling content, necessary to protect audiences from unlicensed gambling websites. This update specifically banned Blaze and Gamdom online casinos.
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