Following consistent hate raids and abuse, Color of Change has teamed up with Black streamers to demand Twitch improve its commitment to offering support.
This campaign follows multiple instances of localised abuse on Twitch in the last 12 months. Last year the #ADayOffTwitch movement saw streamers striking to garner support following abuse, and earlier this month Twitch said it is taking legal action against anti-LGBTQ+ hate raids – which are where masses of users and bots flood a streamers chat to hurl abuse at them.
Now, in an open letter to Twitch as part of a campaign, both groups are “demanding that [Twitch] make [its] commitment to Black streamers transparent and tangible, now” (via Eurogamer).
The letter is addressed to Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear and the platform’s leadership team, saying: “At a time when Black streamers continue to be harassed by racist users and left unprotected from online hate, these short-term, performative Black History Month initiatives are sorely inadequate.”
Color of Change is asking Twitch to work directly with the platform’s Black creators on policy changes that will benefit them, and requests Twitch be “transparent about when these changes will be implemented.”
Color of Change is also demanding that Twitch boost the discoverability of Black streamers on the platform, provide them support on the Front Page, and ensure Black streamers feel safe whilst they are live streaming.
The movement’s website allows people to show support and outlines its three major outstanding demands for Twitch:
- Easily accessible and well-communicated incident feedback loops
- Improved moderation practises and support
- Commitment to conduct a racial equity audit
In other news, Jet Set Radio composer Hideki Naganuma has said he doesn’t think Sega would ever hire him again.
