Kai Cenat’s Twitch subathon has been a massive success for the creator. Racking up more than 200,000 subscribers, he’s nearly hit record territory. But, the race hasn’t been without its trials, and his most recent issues could be the biggest test yet.
Cenat’s 30-day subathon almost didn’t get off the ground when he was banned on the platform just prior to the event, and shortly after it, he had a couple of close calls with Twitch’s guidelines involving interactions he had with banned creators. Then, yesterday evening, an on-camera incident raised eyebrows from viewers that believe the streamer may have been partaking in some sexual activities during his ongoing broadcast.
A now-deleted clip showed Kai standing behind a bar with friends. While most seem to be having a normal conversation, one woman was positioned closely to Kai and appeared to move her right hand in a motion that some claimed made it seem as though she was performing a sex act on Cenat.
As tAs the video continues, viewers could—thanks to a mirror—see where the woman’s hand was behind the bar and became even more convinced it was placed somewhere around the general area of Cenat’s genitalia.
While the video is certainly suggestive, it does not include explicit videos or images of Cenat’s genitals. The clip was deleted from Twitch, but it is still available on clip site Livestreamfails.com.
Should Kai Cenat be banned for sexually suggestive content?
If we’re following the book of the law, Twitch’s Community Guidelines, there’s little reason to believe Cenat shouldn’t be suspended. The platform’s section on “sexually explicit content and sexual services” is fairly clear.
“You may not show or promote… explicit, simulated, or implied self or mutual masturbation, including groping or caressing genitals,” the guidelines say.
Though Cenat is behind a bar and viewers can’t directly see any explicit sexual activity, the consensus among fans was that it seemed very likely something was going on between them.
This isn’t the first time an incident like this has happened on Twitch. Last year, a female creator named Kimmikka was banned from the platform after streaming while having intercourse. Cenat’s offense isn’t nearly as egregious, but that ban is still a relevant precedent. In both instances, the context surrounding the sex acts seems to confirm what is going on. For Kimmikka, the transgression led only to a seven-day ban.
If hit by a strike, Kai Cenat could suffer a similar suspension length.
“Broadcasting in areas where nudity or sexual activity may be taking place, even if such conduct or activity is not at the direction of the broadcaster or takes place in the background of the broadcast, is prohibited,” the guidelines say.
The phrase “even if such conduct… takes place in the background” is the key here. It’s unclear why exactly Twitch hasn’t pulled the trigger on banning Cenat based on the platform’s policies and precedent.
But it’s not exactly a good look when you consider his 211,508 active subscribers represent more than $1,000,000 of revenue that Twitch splits with the creator. Especially when that figure is rapidly rising as he chases Ludwig’s record of 283,066 peak subscribers too.
