Twitch has just revealed a new update to AutoMod in chat that will allow streamers to combat sexual harassment in their channel.
The Amazon-owned platform has continued to add new features over the years, and many of them are focused on improving the experience for streamers.
One of those features is AutoMod, which removes offensive comments from Twitch chat based on the level of filters set by the streamer.
Filters for aggressive and bullying comments have existed on the site since launch, but on July 23, Twitch revealed the addition of sexual harassment filters.
Their announcement claimed that unwelcome comments about someone’s appearance, sexual requests or advances, and sexual objectification will be filtered through AutoMod. Streamers will be able to choose from varying levels of the filter, which determines how strict AutoMod is with deleting comments.
Sexual harassment is never acceptable. To help combat sexual harassment on Twitch, we’re adding a new sexual harassment category to AutoMod, and we’ve added additional examples of behaviors we prohibit under our Sexual Harassment Policy.Learn more:🔗 https://t.co/Dr1Ml0dKi4 pic.twitter.com/o8gTUFFNbV
— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) July 23, 2024
“Sexual harassment is never okay or acceptable. It harms our community, can make those targeted feel unsafe and disrespected, and can discourage them and others from participating on Twitch,” they said in a blog post.
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“We want our service to be the best and safest place to stream, and that means drawing clear boundaries around what behaviors are and aren’t allowed.”
The Amazon-owned platform also adjusted its Sexual Harassment policy to help users understand it better, but made it clear that nothing has actually changed.
“We define sexual harassment to encompass non-physical behaviors of a sexual nature that cause users to feel uncomfortable, degraded, unsafe, or discouraged from participation,” it reads.
“We prohibit unwanted comments–including comments made using emojis/emotes–regarding someone’s appearance or body, sexual requests or advances, sexual objectification, and negative statements or attacks related to a person’s perceived sexual behaviors or activities, regardless of their gender.
“We also do not tolerate the recording or sharing of non-consensual intimate images or videos under any circumstances, and may report such content to law enforcement.”