Twitch is making more changes to combat viewbotting
Livestreaming platform Twitch is introducing new updates to combat, or at the very least better limit, viewbotting. But it remains to be seen whether any of these new changes will be more effective than those that have come before.
Viewbotting is a serious issue across the streaming industry, with streamers using fake bot accounts to inflate their viewership numbers. This leads to false levels of popularity, which can increase discoverability for the streamers taking advantage of it, as well as the potential for increased advertising payouts. Bad actors can also use bots to target streamers, which can negatively affect smaller streamers without recourse.
Twitch has admitted the problem exists, but CEO Dan Clancy has stated it is significantly difficult to get rid of it entirely. The platform is now introducing more new changes towards this effort, but it’s unclear how much it will really help Twitch in its fight against viewbotting.
Twitch changes how clip views count to curb viewbotting
Livestreaming platform Twitch announced that it would update its method for counting clip views to reflect more organic engagement, with a goal in mind of filtering out bots and bot activity to bring more consistent metrics across platforms.
The main objective of this new change is to fix a technical issue that was potentially inflating clip view counts, include clip views from stories in total clip view numbers, and thus make view counts more consistent and accurately representative of fan engagement across all supported platforms. Twitch states these updates may lead to streamers experiencing lower view counts, at least initially, but that the changes will benefit everyone in the long run.
The new changes also include improved clip analytics, which are the framework for other upcoming analytics features. Twitch says that the update will filter out viewbotting better, as the problem has become a huge issue that plagues not only Twitch, but also other streaming platforms including Kick.
Image credit: Twitch
Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has previously referred to the issue as a cat-and-mouse game because of how difficult it is to catch those organizing viewbotting activities and to take any meaningful action against them. That’s not to say Twitch hasn’t been doing anything, as the platform introduced other updates earlier in July with those changes being intended to help catch bots more effectively. The changes reportedly went into effect in August, and the effect was instantly visible.
Many top Twitch streamers, including Zach “Asmongold” Hoyt and John “Tectone” Robertson, noticed a significant drop in their viewership in August after the platform began a crackdown on viewbotting. Viewers speculated as to just how many streamers were viewbotting and who else would be affected by the crackdown as it continued. These latest changes may see yet more streamers affected.
Feature image credit: Twitch
Khizar Mundia has been playing video games for as long as he can recall. Things have come a long way since the many days he spent playing the original NES, though. He now covers a variety of competitive games and esports, as well as the world of streaming, ranging from Twitch to Kick. If it’s of interest to gamers, it’s of interest to Khizar.
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