Twitch issues harsh new punishments to viewers who get banned

Twitch, Amazon’s multi-platform live streaming service, has taken steps towards providing their content creators with more control over their channel – banned users now face more severe repercussions.

Twitch allows a variety of content creators to connect via their live streaming their niche of choice — from their real-life adventures to showcasing their skills in their favorite game, there is an abundance of content for viewers to absorb.

However, toxic users can often be a thorn in a broadcaster’s side. Until now, users that have been banned were able to create alternate accounts in a bid to continually plague the chat of Twitch streamers.

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Yet, as part of the Amazon-owned platform’s bid to clamp down on ill-mannered Twitch users, they have implemented a new set of measures which will put more control in the hands of the broadcaster.

As part of their March 27 announcement, Twitch Support Tweeted an update that will allow streamers to remove channel banned users from their follower and chat lists.

This means a banned user will no longer be able to view the chat at all, until a moderator unbans them — giving the broadcaster both a sense of authority and peace of mind.

? Your well-being is important. We are taking steps to improve that, starting with your peace of mind. Blocking users now removes them from your Followers list. Channel banning users will remove them from your Chat list so you don’t have to see them anymore.

— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) March 27, 2020

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IP Shadowbans

The banned individual will also reportedly be IP shadowbanned, meaning that they cannot continue to harass a streamer by simply creating an additional account.

Moreover, should the streamer decide to lift said ban, the shadowban will also be lifted, according to streamer Devin Nash.

“For context/clarity — we tested this using main and [alternate] accounts. Unbanning removes the shadowban from all accounts,” Nash explained.

For context/clarity – we tested this using main and alt accounts. Unbanning removes the shadowban from all accounts. I'm a fan of giving more power to broadcasters. These new tools enable us to curate toxicity from our communities with more reliability.

— Devin (@DevinNash) March 28, 2020

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Twitch have also updated their article which outlines all of the tools which are at a streamer’s disposal when learning how to handle harassment in chat.

One such tool is ‘blocking’ an individual, which has also been updated to reflect Twitch’s bid to support a creator’s well-being (i.e., blocking toxic users will also remove them from the streamer’s followers list).

Additionally, blocked users cannot refollow, whisper, host or purchase gifted subs.

That's correct – Blocked users won't be able to refollow – additionally, they can't whisper, host, request friendship, or purchase gift subs.

Banned users will not appear in the chat list at all – they also will not be able to see any messages in chat from other users, either. pic.twitter.com/NHfisfrWem

— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) March 27, 2020

While there are plenty of ways around IP shadowbans, Twitch are most definitely taking a step in the right direction by implementing these new measures.

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