Recently, it has become popular on the streaming platform Twitch to watch TV series together with fans. This is considered a new ‘meta’: one of the platform’s most important streamers was banned for this on Saturday, January 8, 2022: 25-year-old Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys. We look at the reasons for the ban and when Pokimane will be back on Twitch.
Who is Pokimane?
- Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys has roots in Morocco and Canada. She started with streams of LoL; the success of Fortnite allowed her to professionalize in 2018 and make a living from Twitch streaming. In recent years, however, she has become more of a talker on Twitch – but she also enjoys playing Valorant and is quite good at it.
- Pokimane is the ‘female face of Twitch’. While other major female streamers on the platform like Amouranth are not exactly ‘presentable’, Pokimane is one of Twitch’s flagships and received a major exclusive contract in March 2020.
- The streamer is also often the target of hostility and accusations. She has been accused of exploiting her lonely male fans. All of them are considered ‘simps’. Pokimane has also set a limit on how much people can donate to her.
New ‘TV Meta’ on Twitch Spells Trouble for Pokimane
What was she banned for? Pokimane watched the approximately 15-year-old Nickelodeon show ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ on her Twitch stream together with her fans and was apparently banned for it.
It appears that she received a ‘copyright strike’ that automatically took her channel down.
What’s interesting about this: It is considered a ‘new Twitch meta’ to simply start a TV show during the stream and then react to it. Streamers like xQc or HasanAbi watch the popular show ‘MasterChef’ featuring Gordon Ramsay.
For some time now, other streamers like Ludwig have warned that this behavior will lead to cease-and-desist orders flooding in from TV networks – just like it has happened in the music industry. However, streamers have dismissed this as panic and claimed there is nothing wrong with watching these TV series. They argue that they are also somehow promoting the series and contributing to their reach.
But apparently, it has now led to some consequences.
When Will Pokimane Return to Twitch?
How is Pokimane handling the ban? Quite casually. She simply tweeted, ‘The Fire Nation attacked’ – a reference to the TV series.
How long is she banned? Pokimane states that she is banned for 48 hours. On Monday afternoon our time, she is supposed to continue with a 12-hour ‘comeback stream’?
However, the ban could herald the end of the ‘Twitch TV meta’. Pokimane is seen as Twitch’s darling, but due to copyright complaints, Twitch seems forced to ban.
Maybe players will once again watch games instead of Gordon Ramsay or old cartoon series:
Hardcore shooter is the biggest game on Twitch in 2022 – ‘Could gaming take over, but…’
