The streaming service Twitch has been making the headlines lately for divisive reasons largely revolving around its new rules for branded content and advertising. Several streamers and content creators have come forward to criticise these changes which remove or alter the way they’re allowed to display sponsored brands and ads on their streams. As a result, popular streamers such as Asmongold have urged others to boycott the platform in the heat of impending protests.
Twitch’s new list of rules surrounding branded content changes will be implemented starting next month. Firstly, all logos displayed on streams need to take up only 3% of the screen. Ads can no longer be directly inserted into streams either, which makes it quite difficult for content creators who typically advertise products or brands. If a creator’s stream contains branded content, they’ll need to display a disclosure on screen stating so.
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Twitch explained that this will be implemented in order to protect users, let them know when content is sponsored and to comply with regulation. Of course, streamers and content creators that don’t follow these new guidelines will face some serious repercussions such as being suspended or banned from the platform. Twitch explains:
“If you fail to disclose branded content on your stream, we will send a warning via email. Repeated failure to disclose branded content may lead to other actions, including suspension of your account.”
Those are main policies that Twitch will begin enforcing as soon as next month, though there are other notable rules. In addition to not being allowed to directly insert ads into streams, this also includes any form of audio advertisement.
In terms of what is allowed with these changes, things like branded panels on your channel page, showcasing products in the background of your stream, including links to other sites that promote things, unboxing and discussing products or services and playing sponored games will all still be viable. YouTuber Mutahar from SomeOrdinaryGamers provided an in-depth breakdown of these rules which you can watch below:
Twitch released a series of tweets following the rules being published that addressed the concerns raised by other streamers and creators, calling the initial update “overly broad” and apologised for any confusion. Unfortunately, Twitch didn’t help to clarify the situation and the platform is still being met with backlash. The company stated that it plans to rewrite the guidelines to make things clearer, though that’s not enough for streamers as it simply means it’s not buckling under the scrutiny.
This hasn’t really gone down well with most streamers and content creators. Well-known streamer Asmongold, for example, has urged other streamers to boycott Twitch’s new rules and demand the changes to be reverted or altered so that it doesn’t impact several creators who use the platform as a means of earning money using the same ads that Twitch is now actively trying to supress. Asmongold, being one of the most popular streamers on the platform, has threatened to leave Twitch should these guidelines still go through.
We’ll update the information as the story develops.
Source: Twitch
