Twitch Immediately Reverses Course On Loosened Sexual Content Policy, “Depictions Of Real Or Fictional Nudity” Once Again Banned

Twitch.tv official logo / Twitch streamer Morgpie dances after receiving a donation
Twitch.tv official logo / Twitch streamer Morgpie dances after receiving a donation

Following a reported outpouring of “community concern” against the controversial change to their primarily teenage male-occupied platform, Twitch has announced that they will be doing a full 180 regarding its recent relaxing of its sexual content policies.

Twitch streamer Morgpie dances after receiving a donation
Twitch streamer Morgpie dances after receiving a donation while playing The Legendary Stary (2023), Twitch

RELATED: Twitch Relaxes Sexual Content Policy Following Backlash To Predatory Female Streamers; “Twerking, Grinding, And Pole Dancing” Now Freely Allowed With No Content Labels

First unveiled on December 13th in an ostensible attempt to protect the predatory practices of the sexually explicit female streamers who constitute one of their biggest revenue streams, said modifications to Twitch’s policies declared that “some types of content that were prohibited will now be allowed on Twitch, if appropriately labeled.”

Eliza relaxes after winning the Skull Heart in Skullgirls: 2nd Encore (2013), Autumn Games
Eliza relaxes after winning the Skull Heart in Skullgirls: 2nd Encore (2013), Autumn Games

Under this new policy, Twitch now allowed for “content that ‘deliberately highlighted breasts, buttocks or pelvic region” – this first change specifically made because the site believed “the former Sexually Suggestive Content policy was out of line with industry standards and resulted in female-presenting streamers being disproportionately penalized” – “body-writing on female-presenting breasts and/or buttocks regardless off gender,” “fictionalized (drawn, animated, or sculpted) fully exposed female-presenting breasts and/or genitals or buttocks regardless of gender”, and “erotic dances that involve disrobing or disrobing gestures, such as strip teases,” to be streamed on the site as long as it was labeled with a ‘Sexual Content’ tag.

Meanwhile, so-called “popular dances, such as twerking, grinding, and pole dancing” no longer required any explicit tagging whatsoever.

Asuka (Hitomi Harada) makes a realization abbout her body in Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars (2021), Marvelous Inc.
Asuka (Hitomi Harada) makes a realization abbout her body in Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars (2021), Marvelous Inc.

However, these exploitative allowances were ultimately not long for this world, as just two days after they were announced, the site’s administration undertook a full reversal of their above loosening of their rules.

“Our primary goal in making these updates was to make our guidelines easier to understand and enforce,” explained Twitch CEO Dan Clancy in a December 15th blog post explaining the site’s internal thought process. “Part of this update included changes to how we treat fictionalized nudity. For years, through UserVoice and in conversations, we heard from artists that our content policies were limiting. In making this update, we were trying to be responsive to these requests and allow the thriving artist community on Twitch to utilize the human form in their art.”

Modder Remy2Fang gives Chun-Li a classic bunny outfit in Street Fighter 6 (2023), Capcom
Modder Remy2Fang gives Chun-Li a classic bunny outfit in Street Fighter 6 (2023), Capcom

RELATED: Study Claims Almost 2,000 “Predatory” Twitch Users Systematically Targeted Over 250,000 Children And Young Teens

Noting how much of the “[new content] created [under the updated policy had] been met with community concern,” Clancy then admitted, “These are concerns we share. Upon reflection, we have decided that we went too far with this change.”

To this end, the Twitch executive revealed, “effective today, we are rolling back the artistic nudity changes. Moving forward, depictions of real or fictional nudity won’t be allowed on Twitch, regardless of the medium.”

Rachel (Michie Tomizawa) soaks in the crowd's applause in Dead or Alive 6 (2019), Koei Tecmo
Rachel (Michie Tomizawa) soaks in the crowd’s applause in Dead or Alive 6 (2019), Koei Tecmo

Offering two further clarifications regarding this reversal, Clancy affirmed both that “this restriction does not apply to Mature-rated games,” and “we aren’t making other changes to the updated Sexual Content Policy”.

“It will take a few days for both this blog and for the new Community Guidelines to be translated,” concluded Clancy. “While I wish we would have predicted this outcome, part of our job is to make adjustments that serve the community. I apologize for the confusion that this update has caused.”

Mai Shiranui (Ami Koshimizu) gives a wink to her beaten opponent in King of Fighters XV (2022), SNK
Mai Shiranui (Ami Koshimizu) gives a wink to her beaten opponent in King of Fighters XV (2022), SNK

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