Twitch recently published a document outlining their regulations and penalties for violations, sparking controversy among VTubers and their supporters who believe the rules are inconsistently enforced.
In response to concerns over unexplained suspensions of VTubers for seemingly mild content, Twitch acknowledged the issue in a tweet. Fans noticed a rule prohibiting the exposure of “hips”, which some models had inadvertently breached.
You can find our first set of Enforcement Notes under their relevant Policies in our Community Guidelines, here:
— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) October 7, 2024
Despite VTubers facing frequent suspensions for rule violations, other content creators like “fleshtubers” and VRChat models appear to evade enforcement actions, leading to accusations of bias within Twitch and its staff.
Recently, VTubers such as Zentreya and FallenShadow encountered increased bans, prompting community support and a response from Twitch. Smaller creators, however, remain vulnerable to such actions.
Welcome to Twitch. Remember our rules are easy to understand. No nudity! Unless you’re wearing vive trackers in VRChat, or someone promoting off site pornography in an inflatable hot tub awkwardly placed in their house.
I’m looking at you Vtubers. It’s very simple guys. https://t.co/SaahYXy9ln
— RubberRoss (@RubberNinja) October 7, 2024
In response to criticism of implicitly endorsed sexual content, Twitch introduced a category for Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches.
Twitch’s ambiguous and inconsistently applied rules regarding exposed skin pose a unique challenge for VTubers. Unlike “fleshtubers”, VTubers cannot simply change outfits; they must create new art assets for each appearance. This process involves rigging and technical work that can be costly.
You can review Twitch’s updated guidelines here.
Many VTubers have found success on YouTube, with hololive being one of the most prominent groups. YouTube is known for its more lenient and consistent standards, as highlighted by Phase Connect VTuber Pipkin Pippa: “youtube let’s me do shots for donos so…“
