Twitch accused of double standards after banning streamer for sexually suggestive content

Streaming platform Twitch have been accused of unfair treatment after banning content creator ‘Velvet_7’ for sexually suggestive content, as users believe other streamers are not receiving punishment for similar content.

It is the third time Velvet has been banned from Twitch, after she picked up temporary bans in both November and December of 2018. However, as this is her third suspension, it appears to be indefinite.

She had over 80,000 followers prior to her Twitch ban on May 4. Her fans were quick to notice that her channel was not visible on Twitch, and Velvet addressed the situation in a video in which she is clearly emotional.

Velvet’s tweet after her first ban, back in November 2018.

“I just got banned on my Twitch channel,” she explained. “It [the notification from Twitch] says sharing or engaging in sexually suggestive content.”

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Both her previous violations were for similar breaches of Twitch’s terms of service. The first, in November 2018, was for an identical infringement and resulted in a three day ban. The second, in December of the same year, was only a one day suspension, and was received for “wearing sexually suggestive attire, such as undergarments or intimate apparel”.

However, some community members have been quick to defend Velvet, and criticize Twitch, arguing that other Twitch streamers, such as Amouranth and Alinity do the same thing, but manage to avoid bans. Velvet is a much smaller streamer in comparison, as they boast just under 2 million followers combined, while Velvet sat at just over 80,000 prior to her suspension.

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Other Reddit users argued Twitch needs to be “more consistent [with bans]”, while another said “Twitch isn’t inconsistent they’re conflicted. They want women on their platform but have a hard time dealing with the kind of content women are forced into”. 

It’s clear how upset Velevet is by the decision, as she sees her streaming livelihood thrown into doubt. Twitch does not comment on community guideline violations.

Last updated Saturday May 11 at 11:00 am EST

As of May 11, Velvet released a video crying, stating that she has since been unbanned by Twitch.

The reasons behind her unbanning are not clear, but she’s clearly very pleased with their decision.