xQc has a lot to say on Twitch suspending Amouranth's ads

Olivia Richman Published 19/05/2021

Twitch streamer Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa recently went on a long rant on Twitter after the streaming platform indefinitely suspended her advertising privileges, allegedly without warning. But Felix “xQc” Lengyel was quite pleased with Twitch’s decision.

Amouranth wrote on Twitter that advertising was indefinitely suspended on her channel but she wasn’t sure exactly why. She says that Twitch had never reached out to her or given any prior warnings. All of the ad revenue disappeared from her channel analytics. She explained that this was an “alarming precedent” that serves as a “stark warning” that streamers can be demonetized even if they are not breaking any community guidelines and are simply “not advertiser-friendly.”

Yesterday I was informed that Twitch has Indefinitely Suspended Advertising on my channel

Twitch didn’t reach out in any way whatsoever. I had to initiate the conversation after noticing, without any prior warning, all the ads revenue had disappeared from my Channel Analytics
— Amouranth (@Amouranth) May 18, 2021

“This leaves open-ended the question of where the line is drawn. Many people complain about ToS being ‘unclear’ but at least there’s something to go by,” Amouranth said. “There is no known policy for what results in a streamer being put on this blacklist. With characteristic opacity, the only thing Twitch made clear is that it is unclear whether or when my account can be reinstated.”

What happened to Amouranth?

It has not been publicly explained why Twitch decided to remove Amouranth’s ability to advertise, but she assumes it’s due to her sexual content.

Amouranth was one of the first streamers to take part in the now-popular “hot tub meta.” This consists of primarily female streamers who sit in an inflatable hot tub in a revealing bathing suit while chatting with fans. This meta started due to Twitch’s Terms of Service specifically stating that bikinis are only allowed when in hot tubs or pools.

Even though Amouranth and other streamers were not necessarily breaking the Terms of Service, the sexually suggestive content deeply upset some members of the streaming community. Many have called on Twitch to change their policies to be more consistent about what type of content is allowed on the platform.

xQc responds to Amouranth advertising ban on Twitch

In a recent stream, xQc addressed the growing controversy over Twitch’s decision. While he wanted to wait for official communication from Twitch on the matter, he agreed it’s a “big topic” that is “kind of scary.”

xQc noted that there are a lot of people doing hot tub streams. But now with some people being affected after creating this type of content, xQc assumes that streamers doing similar content will also face the same consequences. xQc has been a long-time hater of the hot tub meta, so he is most likely banking on streamers changing up their content to avoid the punishment.

Even though xQc isn’t a huge hot tub meta fan, he did express concern with Twitch’s lack of communication around its decision to remove ad revenue from Amouranth’s channel. He didn’t specify exactly what worried him about that, but it could be Twitch’s ability to demonetize streams without any warning. And Amouranth wasn’t breaking any rules, although many would say she was bending them.

xQc might also be concerned about advertisers not wanting to continue with Twitch due to the sexual nature of the hot tub content. Some in the streaming community has stated in the past that they are worried about the future of Twitch’s image due to the abundance of suggestive content, including hot tub streams, yoga, ASMR, and body painting.

“I’m not going to lie. This is my true take. This might have saved everybody from losing their ads,” xQc added. “This might be a scapegoat for all of us.”

While Amouranth’s ad suspension has made big waves in the streaming community, Twitch has yet to make a statement on the matter.

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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