Twitchbanned a longtime streamer known as “Yourmotherisafish” for “harassment via username” on April 11. The ban came during the streamer’sResident Evil 3live broadcast. The streamer took to Twitter to criticizeTwitchfor the ban, stating that the term “harassment via username” was used in violation of the platform’s community rules.
Yourmotherisafish has been streaming on Twitch since February 2018 and has played over 200 games on their channel. More than 90 community members commented on the Twitter post of the streamer. The famous esports figure Zach Bussey joined the discussion commenting that Twitch will have to take a look at this, as the “ban appears to be unintentionally picked up by the machine learning algorithm.”
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Marcus “djWHEAT,” a former Twitch member, also discussed the matter, stating that he would have “100% appealed” the verdict. However, bans based on usernames have baffled streamers before, withsimilar incidents occurring in 2020 with Pajja. While Twitch is attempting to take action against actual harassment caused by the usage of objectionable usernames, some bans may be automatically generated. In the past, hateful nicknames on bot accounts have been used in “hate raids,” as the automod does not catch up on usernames the way it does chat messages.
According toTwitch’s Community Guidelines, usernames cannot be used to promote or glorify self-harm, suicide, hate speech, or discriminatory content. The platform is also stringent about usernames that are designed to impersonate another user or entity or mislead others into thinking that they represent an official Twitch account.
As a result, it is unclear whether the “harassment via username” charge against Yourmotherisafish was automatic or the result of a manual review. However, the incident highlights the complexities that can arise from Twitch’s automated moderation systems and the need for more nuanced approaches to ensure that users are not wrongly punished. Recently, the popular streamerMeowri was banned for wearing a bunny costume, sparking conversations regarding Twitch’s policies.
Thankfully, the situation for Yourmotherisafish was resolved. On April 12, the streamer received a response from the official Twitch Support account informing them that the ban had been lifted.
While Twitch is attempting to keep itsplatform free from gambling content, objectionable usernames, and explicit content, streamers are still experiencing bans that they perceive as being unwarranted. As the platform continues to refine its moderation system, it is essential that it strikes a balance between preventing actual harassment and ensuring that streamers are not wrongly punished.
