Twitch updates sexual guidelines after 'topless' streamer banned on platform

Streaming platform Twitch has made updates to its guidelines on sexual content after “topless” meta streams have started to soar in popularity.

Popular streamer Morgpie was banned from the platform after taking part in the “topless” meta trend that sees streamers appearing partially naked on camera.

While no nudity was explicitly broadcast on camera, it was implied, sparking changes in Twitch’s guidelines.

Notably, its policy on sexual content has become more relaxed, with the company now permitting content that “deliberately highlight[s] breasts, buttocks or pelvic region” if it is labelled as such.

Body art or writing on “female-presenting breasts and/or buttocks regardless of gender” is now permitted as long as there is a sexual themes classification label attached to it.

Content labelled with “Drugs, Intoxication, or Excessive Tobacco Use; Violent and Graphic Depictions; Gambling; and/or Sexual Themes” will not appear on the homepage of the site.

Twitch said the changes are to allow for more “artistic” depictions of the human form, but explicit sexual acts, whether real or fictionalised, remain banned.

The Amazon-owned company explained the changes in a blog post, claiming: “There is a thriving artist community on Twitch, and this policy was overly punitive and did not reflect the impact of the content.”

Twitch added they had received “consistent feedback from streamers that our current policies around sexual content are confusing and that it can be difficult to know how their content will be interpreted based on these policies”.

While it remains unclear how long Morgpie’s ban will stay in place, in a statement, the streamer said that the changes to Twitch’s policy were a positive for both the creators and consumers.

She told Dexerto: “I care about Twitch as a platform, and I care about whether or not inappropriate content is being pushed to the wrong audience.”

Morgie continued: “With the updated terms of service, content on Twitch containing mature themes will be allowed but no longer pushed on the homepage of the site. I think this is the best possible outcome, because it gives creators much more freedom, while also keeping this content from reaching the wrong audience. Bravo, Twitch!”

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