
Twitch’s “hot tub meta” has been under fire for months, with streamers and viewers alike calling on the platform to better define its Terms of Service and crack down on sexually suggestive streams.Â
While a few streamers have received three-day suspensions for their antics during hot tub streams, Twitch has largely ignored the continued complaints. Twitch’s head of creator development, Marcus “djWHEAT” Graham, even told critics that they can simply “not watch” hot tub streamers if they don’t like them. But for most of the people concerned about the hot tub meta, it’s not simply a matter of liking it. It’s that the content is “not age-appropriate.”Â
Streamer Malena “Malena” Tudi has been particularly outspoken when it comes to the hot tub meta. Earlier in the week, Malena demanded that Twitch do something about the ever-growing number of streamers stripping to bikinis and broadcasting from a blow-up pool. She explained that Twitch is 13-plus, meaning 13-year-olds might see the streams.Â
“Advertisers will pull out,” Malena said, “and the website will get a whole different type of reputation and everyone who is affiliated with Twitch will suffer due to action not being taken before the consequences hit!”
Website is 13+, what happens when a 13 year old does this? Advertisers will pull out, adpocalypse 2.0, website will get a whole different type of reputation and everyone who is affiliated with twitch will suffer due to action not being taken before the CONSEQUENCES HIT!!!!
— malena (@malenatudi) May 9, 2021
Many agreed with Malena’s concerns. Some shared screenshots of their homepage, which was full of scantily clad women. The blame was put on Twitch, with users stating that the platform had too many double standards and inconsistent consequences. While some felt that being in a bathing suit should be allowed on Twitch, they did agree that Twitch’s atmosphere was slowly changing due to the growth of sexually suggestive content.Â
Streamer and OnlyFans model Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa caught wind of the growing concern over the hot tub meta and decided to respond on her own Twitter.Â
Amouranth is regarded as the person who popularized hot tubs and inflatable pools in streaming. Her broadcasts are often created in hopes of directing fans to her OnlyFans and other social media platforms. This has bothered a lot of Twitch users, who called out Twitch for supporting “porn.” None of this has slowed down Amouranth, though.Â
“The ‘imagine if a 13-year-old did it’ litmus test for if something should be allowed on Twitch is ridiculous,” Amouranth responded. She then brought up that other mature content is found on Twitch, including GTA RP and other R-rated games, dating app gameplay, and streamers using drugs on stream.Â
Amouranth asked: “Are we supposed to ban those too since they fail the litmus test?”
The “imagine if a 13 year old did it” litmus test for if it should be allowed on twitch is ridiculous
Hypothetically put a “13 year old streamer” in settings you often find other big streamers In – it all feels inappropriate.
Imagine a 13 year old streamer sitting in on
— Kaitlyn (@wildkait) May 10, 2021
Some of Amouranth’s followers responded that it was simply a matter of how sexual the hot tub streamers were. A lot of people felt strongly that the content was inappropriate for children, simple as that.Â
“The point is all the things I listed are sexual by the same test but ostensibly allowed. So you have to take the statement to the logical end. Which is, ‘Why are some widely allowed, why others are not,’ generating huge r/LiveStreamFail threads decrying their existence,” Amouranth replied.Â
Other people responded that it was Twitch’s inconsistency and lack of transparency that made the hot tub streams so aggravating. A lot of the hot tub stream content goes against the platform’s Terms of Service yet the streamers face very little backlash. Some are not punished at all. Meanwhile, streamers stumbling upon a sexually suggestive GIF has been enough for other streamers to be banned for weeks.Â
Meanwhile, Amouranth is already over the situation and has gone back to posting bikini pics to her Instagram and Twitter.Â
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