{"id":45094,"date":"2023-10-11T22:26:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T22:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/11\/twitch-adds-anti-harassment-features-to-stop-banned-users-from-watching-streams-techcrunch\/"},"modified":"2023-10-11T22:26:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T22:26:08","slug":"twitch-adds-anti-harassment-features-to-stop-banned-users-from-watching-streams-techcrunch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/10\/11\/twitch-adds-anti-harassment-features-to-stop-banned-users-from-watching-streams-techcrunch\/","title":{"rendered":"Twitch adds anti-harassment features to stop banned users from watching streams | TechCrunch"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Twitch<\/a> streamers can finally block banned users from watching their streams, thanks to a recent update to the platform\u2019s anti-harassment features<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Twitch first announced<\/a> the feature in August. Though tools to prevent banned users from participating in a stream\u2019s chat have existed for years, streamers could do little from preventing banned users from actually watching their streams.<\/p>\n

Now, channel owners can turn on bans<\/a> by toggling on the \u201cStop banned users from viewing stream\u201d in the moderation settings of their Creator Dashboard.<\/p>\n

Twitch rolled out the feature in response to community feedback. During the August episode of Patch Notes<\/a>, its monthly update series, Twitch Senior Product Manager Trevor Fisher said that banning unwanted viewers is the first step in dealing with the platform\u2019s harassment issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve gotten a lot of feedback over the years, to be honest, that people want their channel bans to do more,\u201d Fisher said.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\udee1\ufe0f Thanks to community feedback, we\u2019ve started rolling out an option for streamers to prevent banned users from watching their livestreams. Streamers can turn on this feature in the Moderation settings section of their Creator Dashboard.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) October 11, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

The feature is also built into Twitch\u2019s blocking tools \u2014 if a streamer blocks a user, the user will be automatically banned from watching streams. However, it only applies to users who are logged into their Twitch account, and for now, the site doesn\u2019t enable IP blocking. That means that if someone is blocked from viewing a stream, they could still watch it if they log out of their account. Twitch eventually plans to add features to stop unwanted viewers from watching VODs, highlights and clips.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone in the comments claiming this is silly or a negative thing has never had a stalker or feared for their safety,\u201d Twitch streamer Divatron9000 said<\/a> on X (formally Twitter). \u201cThere\u2019s a reason we\u2019ve been asking for this feature for YEARS and I\u2019m happy they are FINALLY listening.\u201d<\/p>\n

The feature isn\u2019t available to everyone yet. In comments replying to streamers, Twitch said it may take time for all channel owners to have access. Twitch did not specify a timeline.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese updates roll out over time, so some people get it a bit sooner than others,\u201d the Twitch Support page posted<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Hey Mila, as we’ve just started rolling this out, it may take a little time before available for yourself! These updates roll out over time, so some people get it a bit sooner than others \ud83d\udc9c<\/p>\n

\u2014 Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) October 11, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Twitch has been rolling out stronger moderation tools in an effort to build a \u201clayered\u201d approach to safety. Last year, the platform added \u201cBan Evasion Detection\u201d<\/a> to catch users who try to get around channel bans. The tool uses machine learning to flag suspicious accounts and alert channel moderators. That platform also launched banned list swaps<\/a>, so that channels can request and trade lists of banned users with each other. By accepting another channel\u2019s request to swap lists, a channel will automatically restrict all users on the other channel\u2019s list. Moderators can choose to manually approve or monitor the other channel\u2019s banned users.<\/p>\n

Marginalized communities are particularly vulnerable to targeted harassment on Twitch \u2014 particularly Black and trans streamers. In March, streamers pressured Twitch to crack down on hate raids, which flood a targeted streamer\u2019s channel with vitriolic harassment, with the campaign #TwitchDoBetter.<\/p>\n

In an interview with TechCrunch earlier this year<\/a>,\u00a0Twitch Product VP Alison Huffman said that the company has conducted \u201cextensive\u201d interviews with mods to better understand what safety tools they need.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor a problem like targeted harassment, that is not solved anywhere on the internet,\u201d Huffman said. \u201cAnd, like it is in the non-internet world, it is a forever problem \u2014 and it\u2019s not just one that has a singular solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do here is just build out a really robust set of tools that are highly customizable, and then put them in the hands of the people who know their needs best, which are the creators and their moderators, and just allow them to tailor that suite of tools to meet their particular needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

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