While some claim Twitch has dropped off from its pandemic peak of popularity, there's no escaping the power of the video live-streaming service. Whether it be watching hours of big names streaming their favorite games, taking part in ludicrous challenges, or simply helping 'Just Chatting' live up to its name, there continues to be division over the idea that creators can make a not-so-small fortune by putting themselves out there on Twitch.
Among the good and the great of Twitch, you've got major names including Hasan "HasanAbi" Piker, Imane "Pokimane" Anys, Kai Cenat, and more. Even as Twitch loses some of its former Goliaths like Kaitlyn "Amouranth" Siragusa and Felix "xQc" Lengyel to the more relaxed Kick, it still sits comfortably behind YouTube as the second biggest platform in this industry.
Still, there are some serious issues that people want addressed. In a year that's seen people murdered live on YouTube, get gunned down on TikTok, and die following humiliating Kick streams, is it any real surprise that the US House Oversight Committee summoned the CEO's of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit to a congressional hearing to discuss plans to "prevent future radicalization and violence”? Among those in attendance was Twitch's Dan Clancy, who was recently caught in his own controversy when tuning in to a livestream of a woman giving birth on Twitch. Clancy is currently putting out fires all over the place, and following the assault of Emily "Emiru" Schunk at TwitchCon, he's broken his silence on the incident. On October 17, Emiru was assaulted by a male TwitchCon attendee during a meet and greet at the San Diego Convention Center.
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A man rushed Emiru and grabbed her without consent, and although security was quick to dash to her aid, the streamer later admitted she'd been left 'shaken up' by the altercation. Twitch released its own statement that reiterated the assault was "completely unacceptable and deeply upsetting,” but what does Clancy have to say about it all?
User Mag's Taylor Lorenz asked Clancy directly, with the Twitch CEO promising that creator safety remains a 'top priority' for the platform.
When Lorenz highlighted how a lot of (especially female) creators have spoken about fears for their safety, a defiant Clancy said: "The safety of our creators is our top priority. The challenge we face is a challenge in today’s society. It’s not limited to Twitch; it extends throughout our society.”
He offered his own device to creators, adding: "I do think that when you’re livestreaming, in many ways, that you control your community and you can ban people. You can make it so that those peoplewho you don’t want engaging with you and participating with you, aren’t there."
In terms of Emiru's assault, Clancy concluded: "What happened yesterday was something that we care deeply about securing this environment.
“You know, we’re looking very closely at everything that happened there, and I care deeply about Emi. She’s a friend of mine, and so I want to see how we can support her.”
Clancy says that it's something Twitch needs to keep working on, summarizing that those in the community apparently know what tools are there for them. He also vowed that Twitch is 'ramping it up' in terms of security resources.
Still, with some creators claiming they're currently 'too scared' to attend TwitchCon due to the current climate, there are calls for Clancy and the rest of Twitch's staff to tackle these fears more directly.