Twicth Continues to Backtrack, Not Even Implied Nudity is Allowed

For a brief moment, users on Twitch, especially adult performers, were basking in the victory for team "getting naked and showing your ass on Twitch." On December 13, 2023, Twitch announced “artistic” depictions of sex and nudity so long as the streams were labeled as Sexual Themes. Angela Hession, Twitch’s chief customer trust officer, announced the change in policy in a safety blog post. For a brief moment, content with “‘deliberately highlighted breasts, buttocks or pelvic region,’ even when fully clothed” was permitted. Fictionalized nudity, like animation, was permitted. The policy allowed “fictionalized … fully exposed female-presenting breasts and/or genitals or buttocks regardless of gender.” Erotic dance that involved disrobing or gestures of disrobing, including a striptease, were permitted. And God love it, twerking, grinding and pole dancing, were allowed, again, if properly labeled. But Twitch quickly walked that back only two days later, saying, “Moving forward, depictions of real or fictional nudity won’t be allowed on Twitch, regardless of the medium.”

So users began responding with nudity behind black bars, covering breasts and genitals, basically implied nudity. But Twitch today said that's a "no, no" as well. Angela Hession, Twitch’s chief customer trust officer, said in a blog post, “This update is in response to a recent meta on Twitch in which streamers use black censor bars or other items to block their bodies or clothing, or position the camera frame such that the viewer is led to believe that the streamer is fully or partially nude." She added, “While most streamers have labeled this content appropriately with the Sexual Themes label and are wearing clothing behind the object or outside the camera frame, for many users, the thumbnails of this content can be disruptive to their experience on Twitch.” The updated policy is now: “We don’t permit streamers to be fully or partially nude, including exposing genitals or buttocks.” And “Nor do we permit streamers to imply or suggest that they are fully or partially nude, including, but not limited to, covering breasts or genitals with objects or censor bars," according the update. “We ask that you cover your nipples and do not expose underbust. Cleavage is unrestricted as long as these coverage requirements are met and it is clear that the streamer is wearing clothing.”