VTuber Community Outraged by New Twitch Restrictions
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11 October 2024
Kaleb Vanderhorst Author Twitch has gone ahead with a “dress code” for VTubers, stating they must completely cover up while on stream. VTubers who do not follow the new rules will likely violate community guidelines and receive a strike on their channel, potentially jeopardizing their career.
The exact rules are:
“Genitalia, buttocks, hips, female-presented nipples, and underbust must be covered at all times on general streams. These guidelines apply to Vtuber models but not video game characters including those uploaded into games such as VRChat.”
On the one hand, this is definitely a step in the right direction when it comes to clearing up bans and setting a precedence in the community, but the exact wording of the rules has left many VTubers in limbo. And that doesn’t even mention the financial burden of changing models for many small streamers who simply cannot afford a new one.
Twitch streamer LeahKitties took to X, tweeting:
“Twitch has now confirmed that VTuber hips MUST be covered. I can think of many VTubers who don’t have theirs fully covered, me included. The issue is commissioning new outfits to meet ever changing guidelines is expensive and time consuming. Be aware of this clarified rule!”
It really seems as though much of the community is especially upset about the hip rule, as many VTubers have bikini models and models with sheer fabric around the waist.
In recent years, VTuber models have become increasingly sexualized as the streaming niche has grown, with some bad actors even monetizing on this through OnlyFans. This has potentially put pornography in the hands of children, causing just as much damage as the “titty streamers” of the past.
That being said, if Twitch is going to clamp down on this type of content, it can’t leave out video game characters, VRChat models, and most of all, IRL streamers. Twitch’s tendency to pick and choose what types of content they want and don’t want seems to be arbitrary, to say the least.
Aurahack on X put together the community’s thoughts quite nicely, stating:
“You can’t show your hips if you identify as a girl but you can if you’re wearing a bikini but only if you’re in a beach context or if you’re a VTuber but you’re in VRChat using a 3D model because if you’re a 2D model on stream you cannot show your hips. makes sense to me! 🙃”
you can’t show your hips if you identify as a girl but you can if you’re wearing a bikini but only if you’re in a beach context or if you’re a vtuber but you’re in vrchat using a 3D model because if you’re a 2D model on stream you cannot show your hips
makes sense to me! 🙃 https://t.co/ZzW8DEGs1w
— Aura ✨ (@aurahack) October 7, 2024
Moreover, IRL streamers have gotten away with so much over the years, from nip slips and twerking to overtly provocative streams with little to no backpack from Twitch. Pure “titty streamers” are quite rare nowadays, but you’ll still get the odd hottub stream here and there.
It’s not fair to the VTubers at all and they know it, @INET_HTGM on X said:
“The attire policy applies to VTubers in the same way it applies to other streamers. Waiting for twitch to actually enforce this on non-VTubers.”
If Twitch doesn’t smarten up, they could very well run the risk of losing the VTuber community to YouTube or Kick. It’s no longer 2018 where they have a monopoly.
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