Twitch rolls out feature to stop banned viewers from watching streams

In a move celebrated by many, Twitch has today introduced a new feature aimed at improving streamer safety and control over their virtual space.

This latest update, a direct result of community feedback, enables streamers to block banned viewers from viewing their live broadcasts.

The new option is accessible in the moderation settings in each streamer’s creator dashboard. Scroll down to see a new checkbox that says: ‘Stop banned users from viewing streams.’ Once activated, it stops any viewers banned from a streamer’s channel from being able to watch their live content. Blocked viewers also won’t be able to watch the streams.

Twitch hinted at this feature two months ago, but now it’s finally here. At this stage, it seems like not everyone is able to see it. However, it should be available for all content creators to enable in the coming weeks.

This new feature marks a huge step forward in Twitch’s efforts to stamp out harassment and maintain a safe and positive environment for streamers and viewers.

However, it isn’t without limitations. Banned viewers can still view livestreams through incognito windows on browsers or while they’re logged out of their Twitch accounts. They’ll also still be able to access past broadcasts on channels, as well as VODs, highlights, and clips.

There are also some concerns about these loopholes, and the community is calling on Twitch to find a solution quickly. One common suggestion is to force viewers to log-in to watch streams, which would go some way to solving the problem.

Even with these limitations, the community has warmly embraced the new feature. Many streamers and viewers praised Twitch for its responsiveness to user feedback and ongoing efforts to make the platform a safer place.

For them, this latest feature is just the icing on the cake.

The Amazon-owned streaming platform also added a ban evasion detection system that uses machine learning back in 2021. However, rather than being automatic, that Twitch feature flags suspicious accounts for moderators, who then decide what to do.