Twitch issues statement after three female creators were threatened live on stream
Twitch has responded to the disturbing live streaming incident involving three female streamers.
On 2 March, Twitch streamers Valkyrae (Rachell Hofstetter), Emiru (Emily Schunk), and Cinna (Brittany Lynn Watts) were streaming their 'Sis-A-Thon' event at Santa Monica Pier.
As the three women - who have millions of followers between them - approached the LA pier, they were immediately recognised by an apparent fan.
The man, reportedly called ‘Russel,’ asked for a photo before Cinna responded: “Yeah, of course”.
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Everything seemed normal until he later reappeared 20 minutes later in different clothes. The 'fan' turned aggressive and began demanding the women for their phone numbers. Things got terrifying when the man began chasing the women around, claiming he'd 'kill them right now.'
The live stream cut out as the streamers ran for security and police assistance.
Over a week later, a Twitch representative addressed the incident in a statement to Rolling Stone.
The unnamed rep said that the company is 'horrified' by harassment and abuse targeting its creators - whether it happens on the platform or outside of it. They went on to say that the company 'cares deeply' about its streamers and is 'working to ensure they're being supported.'
Furthermore, Twitch confirmed that its safety teams are investigating the situation - though it’s unclear if they have reached out directly to Valkyrae, Emiru, or Cinna.
While clips of the stream have been surfacing on social media, fans have been voicing their worries about the overall safety of IRL streaming on Twitch and elsewhere and hoping real action is taken to protect streamers from similar dangers in the future.
Cinna commented on a clip from the stream, saying that it 'does not do it justice for how scary it was.'
Meanwhile, Valkyrie has vowed to track down the man who attacked her and her fellow content creators during a live broadcast.
She has encouraged anyone with information to come forward. Since the man’s face was visible on-stream, authorities may already be working to identify him.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time a streamer has been targeted, whether during an IRL broadcast or in their own home.
The act is known as stream sniping, and it can involve viewers sometimes tracking down a streamer's location.
Some streamers have faced dangerous swatting incidents, where prank calls lead to armed police raids on their homes. One of the largest content creators on the internet, Kaitlyn 'Amouranth' Siragusa, reveals how she was robbed at gunpoint and left 'covered in blood' as attackers invaded her home and demanded that she hand over crypto.