Twitch “deeply regrets” blocking account sign-ups in multiple regions for over a year

As a longtime gamer and Twitch enthusiast with over a decade of streaming under my belt, I find myself deeply disappointed and frustrated by the recent turn of events surrounding the platform’s policies towards Israel and Palestine. The fact that it took over a year for Twitch to identify and rectify this issue is nothing short of baffling.

Apologies to all my gaming buddies in Israel and Palestine, but there seems to have been a mix-up with Twitch account sign-ups. It was never our intention to cause inconvenience, and we consider this oversight as unacceptable – a true “miss” on our part. We’re working diligently to rectify the situation so you can get back to gaming with us without any hassle.

On October 20, 2024, Twitch Support published an apology on X (previously Twitter), acknowledging that they unintentionally restricted Israeli and Palestinian users from creating new accounts on their platform.

Initially, the platform acknowledged it was aiming to deal with queries arising online about whether they were blocking Twitch account registrations in certain geographical areas.

Subsequently, it was disclosed that after the October 7, 2023 incidents, Twitch temporarily halted new registrations in Israel and Palestine as a precaution against the dissemination of distressing content related to the attacks and to ensure user safety.

They emphasized that signups hadn’t been fully “turned off” and highlighted the fact that users from those areas could still establish new accounts by verifying their phones instead.

We’d like to clarify some doubts raised regarding our process of preventing Twitch account registrations in certain areas. Starting from when you sign up for a Twitch account, you can opt for either an email or phone verification method for enhanced security. In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 incidents, we…
— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) October 21, 2024

Yet, they admitted they had “unintentionally” failed to reactivate email verification in both regions. They described this oversight as a significant error they “regret profoundly.

Twitch subsequently affirmed in the same message that they had rectified the problem, enabling all impacted individuals to register using email confirmation, as they tackled questions regarding the uniformity of their Community Guidelines.

We’re committed to applying our guidelines evenly, constantly monitoring content for any violations, and taking appropriate action when necessary.

In this recent update from Twitch, it emerged that only a short time passed before allegations were made by the political broadcaster Destiny on his podcast about Twitch restricting the creation of new accounts for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Is it true that Twitch prevents Israeli users from creating accounts? This seems unlikely and must be an oversight or mistake, right?
— Destiny (@TheOmniLiberal) October 20, 2024

In response to Twitch’s recent declaration, users online have voiced their disapproval towards the company, stating that it seems they’ve taken a full year to pinpoint this issue. Some users have even characterized Twitch’s communication as “feeble” or “unimpressive.

Additionally, Asmongold received a 14-day suspension from Twitch due to remarks perceived as racist that he made during a live broadcast.

Additionally, the community urged the platform to intervene against popular streamers like Frogan, due to remarks he made about the Israel-Palestine conflict that are part of the current dispute.

Currently, Twitch hasn’t made any additional statements about allowing registrations in these areas again. But rest assured, we will keep you informed if that changes and update this post accordingly.

2024-10-21 07:18

Twitch “deeply regrets” blocking account sign-ups in multiple regions for over a year

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