Twitch updates spam, scams, and malicious conduct policy to prohibit ‘harmful misinformation actors’

In a new policy update, Twitch has added a misinformation clause to its existing spam, scams, and malicious content regulations. The streaming platform said in its post that it’s updating this policy to “prohibit harmful misinformation actors from using our services.”

Twitch said this policy update will not impact a majority of streamers on the platform. Instead, this new harmful misinformation ruleset is focused on individuals who knowingly and persistently spread potentially harmful or false information through Twitch.

The platform said it worked with dozens of researchers and experts on the issue of misinformation to find a three-pronged method of evaluation. For users to be characterized as harmful misinformation spreaders, they must have a history of consistently spreading misinformation on widely disproven and broadly shared misinformation topics. To illustrate this, Twitch used “conspiracies that promote violence” as an example of a widely disproven and potentially harmful topic.

Twitch made it clear that users will have to meet all three of these criteria to be considered a harmful misinformation actor. The release also said that enforcement will only pertain to repeat offenders and that Twitch “will not enforce against one-off statements containing misinformation.” The platform’s Off-Service investigations team will conduct reviews on each case of potential misinformation spreading, according to Twitch’s post.

The site said it selected its given criteria because “together they create the highest risk of harm including inciting real world harm.” Twitch said that while harmful misinformation is “not currently prevalent” on its platform, the team is always evolving and seeking new ways to ensure safety both on and off the website.