Twitch makes important update to “sensitive content” label after streamer outcry

Twitch is clearing up confusion around its newest content classification label for “sensitive content,” assuring streamers that this won’t apply if they’re discussing their “lived experiences.”

On November 1, Twitch introduced a new content classification label to help viewers navigate through content they might not want to see on its platform. This included political broadcasts and streams featuring “sensitive” subject matter.

However, many users zeroed in on a stipulation in the CCL’s guidelines, which state that “streams focused on discussing topics like gender, race, sexuality, or religion in a polarizing or inflammatory manner” should use the new label.

This sparked confusion for many broadcasters, who wondered if they would be unable to speak about their own lives without labeling their streams as “sensitive content.” Specifically, many LGBTQ+ streamers worried that their content might fall under this umbrella, potentially warding away advertisers.

Twitch

Twitch clarified the situation on November 4, assuring users that the label won’t apply if they’re simply discussing their own lived experiences.

“We want to make clear that you don’t need to label your stream if you’re talking about your lived experience,” they said in a tweet, adding that the label is only a requirement if “discussion of the listed topics is the focus of the stream.”

“Our goal here, as with any CCL, is to give viewers and brands more info about what’s happening on a particular stream, so that they can make an informed decision about what to watch and where to engage,” they concluded.

Twitch’s sensitive content CCL came at a time of criticism toward the platform as many users accused the company of promoting certain political ideologies and pundits during the 2024 American presidential election.

CEO Dan Clancy published a statement amid the backlash, saying that “Twitch stands firmly against hate and harassment of any form.”