In the ever-changing online world, companies need to adapt to new things and Twitch’s approach to breastfeeding on stream has been highlighted in the past few weeks. It seems Twitch breastfeeding could become a thing now after the platform confirmed it is okay to perform the action on a stream.
The streaming platforms decided to remove a clip from streamer Heather Kent’s channel after users reported the channel due to her showing her nipple before beginning to breastfeed her one-year-old baby.
The removal of the clip caused some debate on whether or not breastfeeding was sexual and should be allowed on the platform. A Twitch representative stated that
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”#23C71A” class=”” size=”19″]“it was a difficult position for a Safety Ops admin to be put in during a review of an incident that has not previously occurred on Twitch,” [/perfectpullquote]
Twitch’s current terms of services do touch on nudity and sexual content but breastfeeding does not fall into those categories. The terms state “acts such as pornography, sexual acts, sexual services, including solicitation and offers for such content,” are not allowed.
The company also recommends streamers wear “attire appropriate for public settings, such as what you would wear on a public street, or to a mall or restaurant.”
After further internal discussions, Twitch then decided that Kent did not violate any terms of service stating;
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”#FF0000″ class=”” size=”19″]“After further discussions between Partnerships, Safety Ops and Trusty and Safety there is alignment between all teams that breastfeeding is not and will not be against the terms of service. As you so eloquently put it ‘breastfeeding is not lewd’ and we agree with you.”[/perfectpullquote]
While this move has been great for the streaming service and those who would for some reason, want to breastfeed during a stream, it still leaves much to be debated. If there was any nipple shown during the process of the breastfeeding then surely it would be classed as nudity?
Perhaps the breastfeeding part of this is okay but the nudity, not so much. We will have to just wait and see how streamers approach this now.
What is your take on this Twitch breastfeeding fiasco? Let us know down below.
