Twitch backtracks and scraps controversial nudity guidelines

Just under two days after announcing its new nudity guidelines, the Twitch went back on the decision and is once again banning nudity during broadcasts. The change had caused an uproar in the community and even among the platform’s own streamers.

After reflection, we decided that we had gone too far with this change. Digital depictions of nudity present a unique challenge: AI can be used to create realistic images, and it can be difficult to distinguish between digital art and photography.

So starting today, we’re rolling back the changes to artistic nudity. Depictions of real or fictional nudity will not be permitted on Twitch, regardless of medium. This restriction does not apply to games rated for adults. You can find specific emote standards for nudity and sexual content in the Emote Guidelines. We will not make any other changes to the updated Sexual Content Policy.

Remember Twitch’s controversial change

Twitch had announced greater permissiveness regarding nudity content in broadcasts. Content that emphasized breasts, buttocks or the pelvic region, even covered, and fictional representations of these parts of the body were allowed, as long as the broadcast was labeled with “sexual themes”.

Fictional representation content, such as drawings with naked bodies, animations and sculptures, were also allowed.

Dances such as twerking, funk and pole dancing were allowed without the need for a specific label. The policy began to consider the context of dances, prohibiting them only within adult entertainment establishments. Sensual dances, including striptease, were permitted without specific labeling.

The platform continued to prohibit masturbation or fictionalized sexual acts. Games that had nudity or sexual content as their main focus remained completely prohibited, as did modifications that added such content to permitted games.