Twitch Introduces New Enforcement Strategy with Decaying Strikes and Educational Programs

A New Chapter in Twitch Community Guidelines' Enforcement Strategy

Upcoming changes to Twitch's enforcement strategy were recently shared, with new measures being set in place to maintain the safety of the vast online community. These strategic changes are aimed at achieving a more balanced and fair execution of the community guidelines. With a staggering 105 million users per month and 1.3 trillion minutes of content viewed, efficient moderation has become an essential and challenging task.

Decaying Strikes for Low-Severity Offenses

Under the current Twitch regulation system, when users breach the community guidelines, they can be subjected to strikes that accumulate until a suspension is imposed. The severity of these punishments doesn't currently diminish over time which can penalize long-time Twitch users disproportionately. Twitch's new initiative aims to rectify this by implementing a decaying system for certain infringements. Low-severity offenses, such as unintentional nudity, will incur strikes which after a certain period, will expire. The details pertaining to the list of such offenses and the set time for expirations are yet to be established.

Increased Transparency and Educational Opportunities

From next year, Twitch will ensure that relevant information is provided when a violation occurs, allowing the offender to understand the reason behind the enforcement action. The context will be delivered in the form of the disputed chat message or clip, which may prove beneficial should the user choose to appeal. Furthermore, Twitch is introducing educational courses that help users understand their wrongdoing and potentially lessen the repercussions. For instance, participating in a course and passing a quiz can reduce the length of a suspension.

Partnerships with external entities such as the Anti-Defamation League have contributed to the development of these specific courses. Hateful conduct, sexual content, and gambling are just a few subjects on offer, all aiming to ensure uniform interpretations of what actions would constitute a violation. This is a crucial step forward in ensuring the safety of the Twitch community while allowing for personal growth and continued platform engagement after a lapse in judgment.