Twitch has officially announced a series of new features that will help creators on the platform combat hate raids, including making it so new accounts cannot send raids.
In August 2021, Twitch streamers began experiencing ‘hate raids’ from anonymous users attacking them with racial and homophobic slurs on stream.
This prompted the creation of the #TwitchDoBetter movement, which led to streamers boycotting the platform on September 1, 2021.
Since then, Twitch has created various features to help combat hate raids with shared ban lists and phone verification, among other features. Now, the platform is back with more features, this time with changes to the platform’s built-in raid system.
Twitch announces features to combat hate raids
During Twitch’s most recent Patch Notes stream, the company revealed that they will be adding new settings and features to the raid system.
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They also shared the list of features on Twitter:
- Set a minimum/maximum viewer threshold for incoming raids.
- Limit incoming raids based on the minimum account age for the channel raiding you.
- Choose the type of channels that can add you
Upcoming updates to Raids:– Set a minimum/maximum viewer threshold for incoming raids– Limit incoming raids based on the minimum account age for the channel raiding you.– Choose the type of channels that can add you
— Twitch (@Twitch) August 25, 2022
The viewer threshold and minimum account age for incoming raids are biggest of the features spotlighted, as it will help prevent newly created ‘bot’ accounts from sending you a raid.
Many creators are also worried that it will limit the ability for small streamers to raid other accounts. It’s unknown what effect it will have on that front, however, so we’ll have to wait to see.
In the meantime, head over to our entertainment hub for more Twitch news.