Imane “Pokimane” Anys has a generally wholesome stream on Twitch, but she is aware of the more inappropriate that is spread content all throughout the streaming platform.
Pokimane recently suggested that there should be a section on Twitch just for kids that filters out adult content. The kid version of Twitch would see content “go through a filter,” making sure it’s acceptable for children who perhaps shouldn’t be watching first-person shooters or hot tub streams.
Pokimane even suggested that every website should have a “kid version.”
“Kids on the internet will regurgitate absolutely everything even if they have no idea what they’re saying. It’s a shame,” Pokimane said.
Pokimane calls out streamers with young kids as fans
Pokimane has had her
fair share of toxic abuse online, but it hasn’t always been that way. Pokimane said when she was a kid, she had “great” experiences online. She would make friends and play games together with them, creating “memories I will treasure forever.”
“Maybe that’s why I grew up so I didn’t harass people for no reason,”
Pokimane added.
It’s clear that Pokimane had other content creators on her mind when she was speaking about this. According to Pokimane, she has been harassed by kids that “don’t even know they’re being used” by their favorite streamers. The popular Twitch star said that young children are “impressionable” and are just repeating whatever their favorite streamers say.
“If you’re a streamer who weaponized kids for clout or says easy clickbait stuff to confuse and hype up kids for clout… You need help,” Pokimane said.
“Brainwashing kids into hating someone or believing all the things you’re saying online… Or speaking inappropriately… All of that is just weird and bad,” Pokimane continued.
YouTube and some other sites have already created a version specifically designed for use by children. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Twitch implement the same filters. But so far, Twitch hasn’t made any statements about a new version of its platform designed for use by kids. Instead, Twitch has created entirely new categories to keep certain types of content together. That doesn’t stop kids from watching those categories, however.
“We should be treating [kids] with care,” Pokimane said.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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