Are you tired of your favorite streamer calling you names like “simp” or “incel?” Well, the good news for you is that their time is running out.
Last month, Twitch made an update to its Hateful Conduct and Harassment policy, giving stricter guidelines as an attempt at making a “more inclusive” platform. But the policies weren’t implemented immediately. Due to the gravity of the heightened restrictions on speech, Twitch implemented a grace period for streamers to prepare for the new policies.
“We’re sharing the policy well before it goes into effect to ensure you have enough time to read it, ask questions, and give feedback,” Twitch said.
But that time is nearly up.
Beginning tomorrow, Jan. 22 at 12pm CT, Twitch’s new Hateful Conduct and Harassment policy will go into effect.
While many of the guidelines appear to be well-intentioned on the surface, the new policies have drawn criticism over the past month following a discussion of the rules by Twitch COO Sara Clemens, specifically talking about how the policy relates to the use of negatively charged, sexually focused terms.
“Using terms like simp, incel, or virgin to refer as an insult to negatively refer to another person’s sexual activity is not allowed under this new policy,” Clemens said. “In addition to the new policy change, we are actively denying emotes that include the term simp and will remove them when reported.”
While the context of using those words is key, streamers might be finding themselves in some trouble if they habitually call viewers or other streamers words like “simp.”
Twitch clarified this in a statement following Clemens’ comments. Using words like “simp,” “incel,” or “virgin” won’t get people banned unless they are “used repeatedly in a harassing manner.”
It’s still uncertain whether satirical or joking use of the words among friends will be deemed as “harassing.” Twitch streamers and viewers will just have to wait until tomorrow to see.
