If there is anything that has caused controversy on Twitch, it has been streamers’ attire. Creators have gotten warnings and even banned for wearing outfits that are considered revealing or provocative. And for years, fans and creators alike have taken sides in this debate.
Now, Twitch is having to deal with yet another outfit-related controversy, this time having to do with VTubers.
In a recent Twitter/X post, Twitch said that its attire policies apply to VTubers the same way that it does to other streamers. VTubers are streamers who have 2D or 3D virtual avatars developed which appear on the screen as they stream. Using motion-capture technology, these avatars track their movements and engage with fans the same way a human streamer would.
In the new enforcement notes, Twitch says, “Genitalia, buttocks, hips, female-presented nipples, and underbust must be covered at all times on general streams. Vtuber models are held to the same attire guidelines as other streamers.”
However, the same notes say that these do not apply to video game characters, including those uploaded to VR chat. Additionally, Vtubers’ hips must also be covered. This immediately sparked controversy among both fans and creators. Several streamers pointed out that they would have to commission new avatars to avoid breaking the rules and being banned. This, they explain, will not come cheap.
Soon after this announcement, several VTubers complained that they’d been giving warnings while they believed they hadn’t broken any rules. There has also been a lot of debate about how unevenly the rules are being enforced. A female VTuber cannot show hips but a video game character can appear in a bikini if, as designer Aura pointed out in Twitter/X, “you’re in a beach context or if you’re a VTuber but you’re in VRChat using a 3D model because if you’re a 2D model on stream you cannot show your hips. Makes sense to me”.
It’s also been pointed out that some streamers break these rules all the time but haven’t gotten warnings while others have. The fact that female nipples were especially singled out led to accusations of sexism. It seems that no matter who is streaming, Twitch’s attire rules will always cause controversy,
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