Update: Twitch Responds With Their Stance on Streaming Second Life: "Game is Unrated and Often Sexually Explicit"

  
Janine "Iris Ophelia" Hawkins' ongoing review of gaming and virtual world style

Two weeks ago I reported on popular game streaming site Twitch allegedly suspending users simply for streaming Second Life with their service. I contacted both Twitch and Hitbox (one of their top competitors) for comment. Initially only Hitbox responded, saying that they are "more than happy to allow broadcasters to stream Second Life on hitbox granted they are responsible about the content being presented to the viewers."

It's a little lukewarm, but it's a much more inviting response than the one I received from Twitch late last week:

Second Life is not permitted for streaming and those accounts reported for doing so will be suspended. Content in this game is unrated and often sexually explicity, which is content we do not allow on our services. We also do not permit Adults-Only rated games and games where nudity is the core focus, feature, or goal.

Please read our Rules of Conduct regarding sexually explicit acts or content for more information:
http://www.twitch.tv/user/legal?page=rules-of-conduct

Am I surprised? Not at all.

In my original post I theorized that based on the ongoing popularity of Second Life trolling videos on Youtube, the vast majority of SL streams that Twitch site moderators have likely come across probably haven't been a constructive or accurate representation of what the virtual world is capable of, or how most people use it. Between that and lingering prejudices about Second Life, no part of their response is a surprise. Nevertheless it's disappointing to hear that Twitch isn't even attempting to make the easy distinction between constructive and the trollish uses of SL.

So long story short, if you're hoping to livestream a tour of beautiful virtual builds, a shopping trip to The Arcade, a virtual scuba session or even a Quidditch match with friends, it's best to stick to Hitbox.

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Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart on Twitter, Iris Ophelia in Second Life) has been writing about virtual worlds and video games for nearly a decade, and has had her work featured on Paste, Kotaku, Jezebel and The Mary Sue.

Comments

[Jessica Pixel]

Thanks again for looking into this. It figures Twitch would rather bury their head in the sand instead of judge streams based on what's actually going on.

[Arwyn Quandry]

So streaming explicit, realistic violence in video games like GTA is totally cool, but streaming something that might have a tiny chance of a nip slip is an instaban? What the hell, Twitch.

[Ciaran Laval]

Thanks for sharing the reply, it's disappointing but not remotely surprising.

[Matt Morris]

"We also do not permit Adults-Only rated games and games where nudity is the core focus, feature, or goal." Can LL sue Twitch for that? Is there a libel equivalent for corporations? If there is they honestly should. I've disliked Twitch for a number of reasons already but after reading that I think I'm boycotting it entirely. Ignorant is one thing, being maliciously stupid is another. Thanks for posting their extremely slow reply!

[Rose]

Wow! All the work we've done to change the view of Second Life as nothing but sex has been in vain. LL really needs to see this, I agree Matt!

[Green Ham & Eggs]

@ Matt Morris

Your right on the money.

The logic they have if i own a phone company. its really a porn studio. because a few folks trade naughty email pics of each other thru the phone network.

Linden Lab really needs to step up to this one. other wise setting a bad precedent that could cause service blocks in many more services.

I think they have a former DISGRUNTLED linden running Twich's TOS.

[CronoCloud Creeggan]

I don't know why you keep pimping hitbox and not mentioning ustream.

[draxtor™ (@draxtor)]

I will be on http://hitbox.tv/draxtor - time permitting - focusing on beautiful creativity!

[melponeme_k]

"sexually explicity"

Is this English?
Is that in the real email? Do they mean sexually explicit or sexual explicitness?

I'm not surprised they misunderstand SL, their customer service reps are unable to write in proper English.

[Janine/Iris]

@ChronoCloud Because Ustream's popularity among game streamers/viewers/developers is rather limited at this point. People certainly do still use it for that, but unless you're 100% bringing your audience with you, you have a better chance of finding/growing one on a more specialized service like Twitch or Hitbox.

[Machinima Maker]

I wouldn't worry about this too much this is just twitch not understanding what is happening just educate them instead that always works and there's always alternatives for now Just Google streaming services you will find plenty of them

[WhyGuy]

If the Lindens cared about public perception they would get rid of those "infohubs" or "landing areas" or whatever they are. Newbies land there, look around at the ranting racists and violent pervs and listen to the constant stream of hostility and they assume this is what all of second life is about.

Lidens must be using these areas as testing grounds for greifer weapons. Or maybe this is where they try to collect all the weirdos for the NSA to listen to.

Whatever. Thousands of new people sign up every day and run into this crap. And Lindens wonder why they have a retention problem.

This is in the wiki
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Infohub
They actually call Boardroom and Korea3 "moderate". Thats a laugh. Mauve is General?
And just because someone checked a box saying they were ok with adult content, that does not make what happens at Arapaima and Nelsonia ok.

It's your public image, Lindens. Don't be surprised when this is the view that people have of your product. You call these places infohubs but there is no info there, especially for newbies. The only thing there is the absolute worst of SL.