On October 17, an unpleasant and potentially dangerous incident occurred at TwitchCon in San Diego involving the streamer Emily “Emiru” Schunk. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy issued an initial statement, for which he later apologized in a second statement.
What incident was it? At TwitchCon 2025, a supposed fan approached the streamer Emiru against her will. Furthermore, he tried to kiss her. Emiru was able to free herself from his grip, and her bodyguard managed to drive the man away.
In a stream after the incident, Emiru criticized Twitch itself, as they had not provided enough security at the expo. According to Emiru, after the incident, no one from the Twitch team took care of her, which left her hurt and upset.
Twitch CEO speaks about the incident involving Twitch streamer
What did Dan Clancy say about the assault? While the official Twitch account posted a statement on X, expressing sympathy and promising to enhance security measures, Twitch CEO Dan Clancy spoke separately.
In an on-site interview, tech journalist Taylor Lorenz asked the Twitch CEO about the events of TwitchCon.
Dan Clancy stated that Twitch streamers control their community in a way, for example, by banning certain viewers. This way, people can be excluded who the Twitch streamers do not want in their community.
Specifically regarding the incident with Emiru, the Twitch CEO mentioned that it was something “that deeply matters” and “would be investigated thoroughly” (Source: YouTube from minute 07:12). Dan Clancy then expressed his concern for Emiru, whom he sees as a friend.
When asked why the man seemed to easily bypass Emiru without being stopped by Twitch staff, Dan Clancy said that despite the efforts for safety, there would always be mistakes. Some challenges can only be identified afterward.
The statement was not well received by the Twitch community. Although it is merely part of the interview, most comments focus primarily on the remarks about Emiru. Viewers express dissatisfaction with the Twitch CEO’s comments, which some perceive as placing blame on the Twitch streamer.
You can watch the interview on YouTube here:
TwitchCon seems unsafe for creators
What is the issue? The community’s criticism did not come suddenly, as there had been concerns expressed prior to TwitchCon.
Weeks before TwitchCon, Dexerto reported that Twitch streamers like QTCinderella, Valkyrae, and Pokimane were too afraid to attend the expo and thus completely opted out. They feared not receiving enough protection from Twitch.
Dan Clancy tried to reassure the Twitch streamers, stating that Twitch would not tolerate harassment and he would ensure that the event would be as safe as possible (Source: Dexerto). The incident involving Emiru has now cast the Twitch CEO’s comments in a different light.
Editor Christianna Silva criticized the security measures at TwitchCon in her article on Mashable.com, claiming they are too lax compared to other conventions such as PAX or Comic-Con. The event is said to lack a clear, consistent system for protecting creators.
This is particularly serious in the case of Twitch, as the nature of the platform can promote parasocial relationships through direct interaction with fans. However, these relationships are one-sided and can develop in a dangerous direction for Twitch streamers.
The safety of women on Twitch is repeatedly discussed by content creators and the community alike. The prior commitments to safety appear to many fans as empty promises in light of the events. They now feel confirmed that Twitch does not take the concerns seriously.
Dan Clancy speaks a second time
What did the Twitch CEO say afterward? On October 24, 2025, Dan Clancy issued an official statement on the X Account of Twitch.
- Dan Clancy takes full responsibility for the incident involving Emiru. He acknowledges that Twitch failed in terms of participant safety and communication afterward. He also apologizes to Emiru.
- An extensive analysis of the incident will be conducted to determine what went wrong.
- Future measures are planned to ensure the safety of participants at TwitchCon, such as general security checks of the entire event.
- Furthermore, the rules for IRL streaming at TwitchCon may be adjusted.
- Lastly, the accessibility of the event is to be improved.
Whether and how Twitch will improve its safety measures remains to be seen. Listening to the community, it is bitterly necessary.
The content creator WolfeyVGC claims to have experienced sexual assaults at conventions in the past, albeit at Pokémon tournaments. He is also drawing appropriate consequences, but more for himself, as he wants to withdraw a bit from the internet: One of the best Pokémon players in the world will not attend any more tournaments for the time being, speaking of experiences with overbearing fans
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