Twitch Responds To Topless Stream Backlash With Clarified Rules On Sexual Content
In 2021 we saw the advent of the ‘hot tub meta,’ where streamers would lounge in tubs or pools wearing varying degrees of clothing. This was done in support of charitable causes. Amouranth, a streamer who exploded in popularity, hauled in $1.5 million in one month to save dogs and for an organization that works with horses, per a Vice interview. This ‘meta,’ or trend that streamers do, has slowly evolved into a new trend with implied nudity.
In December, Twitch streamer Morgpie was banned from the platform after becoming what some would call the origin of the ‘topless meta.’ Streamers who engaged in this would wear a tube top and frame themselves so that only the top half of their bosom was visible, thereby implying that they were nude. Following this ban the Twitch community somewhat fell into disarray, prompting Twitch to clarify its rules on sexual content overall.
On December 13th Twitch published an article titled “Updating our Approach to Sexual Content and Content Classification Labels,” which outlined changes to rules and allowed some previously prohibited things. With a “Sexual Themes” label, which prevents a stream from being on homepage recommendations, streamers can produce content that “deliberately [highlights] breasts, buttocks or pelvic region,” includes “fictionalized (drawn, animated, or sculpted) fully exposed female-presenting breasts and/or genitals or buttocks regardless of gender,” or involves body-writing on breasts and buttocks, and erotic dances. Besides this, dances like twerking, grinding, and pole dancing are now allowed without the sexual themes label.
While these changes are seemingly great for the ‘meta-chasers’, they are also great for the rather large art community on Twitch. The question now becomes, though, is Twitch leading the way on body-positivity and acceptance with these changes? Regardless, there has been some pushback on Twitch’s new direction from Twitch streamers who do more traditional content. However, the counterargument to these concerns that people will watch what they want to watch makes some sense; and at the end of the day, Twitch would rather make money on its platform than let people go elsewhere and generate revenue for other platforms.
What we are witnessing here may be one of the more evident cultural changes happening in a rather small timeframe. If these rules and changes find more broad acceptance in the coming weeks and months, we could see a larger turn in how people fundamentally view nudity, sexuality, and other traditionally taboo topics. This might be a healthy thing given the state of the world at the moment. However, how this shapes up in the future is unclear as of now, so we will have to see what happens.
