Twitch unveiled a new team today tasked with guiding the platform’s community through matters related to safety and health among viewers and streamers alike.
The eight-member “Safety Advisory Council” is composed of a few Twitch partners as well as cyberbullying activists and researchers. It’ll be in charge of helping draft new policies and developing safety and moderation features for the platform.
In addition, the group will promote “healthy streaming and work-life balance habits” and “protect the interest of marginalized groups.”
The group has an eclectic assortment of experience in online safety and free speech with members like Anti-Bullying Ambassadors founder Alex Holmes, Free Expression Project director Emma Llanso, Cyberbulling Research Center co-director Dr. Sameer Hinduja, and AnyKey co-founder T.L. Taylor.
At the same time, the other half of the council’s members are highly endemic to Twitch. Zizaran has been a partner since 2015 and FerociouslySteph turned into a full-time streamer in 2016. Meanwhile, CohhCarnage is one of Twitch’s more high-profile content creators and Cupahnoodle serves as a Twitch Ambassador.
“When developing this council we felt it was essential to include both experts who can provide an external perspective, as well as Twitch streamers who deeply understand creators’ unique challenges and viewpoints,” Twitch said. “Each member of the council was carefully selected based on their familiarity with the Twitch community and their relevant personal and professional experiences.”
This announcement by Twitch comes amid massive growth in viewership on the platform with many people looking to livestreams for entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the platform saw over 100 percent year-over-year growth in overall hours watched, according to Arsenal.gg’s monthly report.
