The streaming service Twitch has changed its rules regarding banned streamers. This apparently relates to the special position held by Dr Disrespect. He has been banned from Twitch, yet Twitch streamers still communicate with him. This is actually against the rules. Twitch now explains what is expected from streamers who encounter banned users.
What is this rule about? The rule revolves around the “circumvention of bans.” This community guideline has now been adjusted by Twitch.
The rule states that streamers who are banned from Twitch may not circumvent this ban by using another account or simply appearing in other streamers’ channels. Anyone who is seen and heard on Twitch with a banned streamer will themselves be banned.
Thus, banned Twitch streamers are effectively considered “contagious individuals”: One must not have contact with them, or else the Twitch ban will transfer like a disease.
Streamers must mute banned rogues
This is now new: Twitch has added a clause to the rules to clarify what to do if one encounters such a nasty fellow (via twitch.tv). It now states:
“We understand that situations may arise in which banned users appear in your stream due to circumstances beyond your control, e.g. through third-party gaming tournaments. However, we expect you to make every reasonable effort to remove them from your entertainment, mute them, or otherwise limit their interaction with your stream.”
From the Twitch guidelines
This is what it’s about. The rule is apparently clearly directed towards Dr Disrespect. He was long one of the largest streamers on Twitch until he was suddenly banned in June 2020.
He has many friends on Twitch and continues to play popular games like Call of Duty: Warzone. He participated in exactly such a “third-party tournament,” as stated in the rules.
Dr Disrespect appeared in the voice chat of large Twitch streamers who were also in the tournament. Ideally, the streamers should have immediately run away screaming when they heard Dr Disrespect’s voice.
But streamers like Nadeshot saw no reason to stop the stream just because their friend Dr Disrespect suddenly appeared in voice. Nadeshot then asked: “Does Twitch really want to ban me for talking to the Doctor? Come on, what are they going to do? I was on the platform when it was still Justin.tv. They need to make a decision here. No respect. No respect.”
Also, the streamer Crimsx dared to do the unthinkable and spoke with Dr Disrespect:
It is not known whether bans occurred here, but some clips have already been deleted.
There is now an answer to the question of whether Twitch really wants Nadeshot to stop speaking with Dr Disrespect: Yes, they do.
As Dr Disrespect recently confessed in a YouTube video, the ban has caused serious problems for him. He now feels, for the first time in his life, the pressure and fear:
Dr Disrespect is struggling with the Twitch ban, has real problems
Twitch really wants a streamer like Nadeshot to end the conversation, mute Dr Disrespect, and act as if he does not exist.
Thus, it is more a tightening of the rule. Twitch expects streamers to consistently cut off contact with people who are banned from Twitch.
The rule has something odd about it anyway: How should a normal Twitch streamer know if someone appearing in their voice chat has just been banned from Twitch or not? Ultimately, Twitch must then decide on a case-by-case basis whether such violations of the rule are truly malicious or not. It is hardly reasonable to expect streamers to keep accurate records of who has been banned from Twitch and is thus a ticking time bomb for their own channel.
After the Twitch ban, Dr Disrespect initially withdrew, but later sounded aggressive and ready to restart on YouTube. However, the ban has left its mark.
As Dr Disrespect recently confessed in a YouTube video, the ban has caused serious problems for him. He now feels, for the first time in his life, the pressure and fear:
Dr Disrespect is struggling with the Twitch ban, has real problems
