Twitch is making major changes to its attire policy once again, this time effectively banning streams that imply nudity through clever framing or the use of censor bars. The platform’s Chief Customer Trust Officer Angela Hession announced the policy update on Wednesday, which also includes restrictions on showing visible outlines of genitals, even if they are covered. Additionally, any attempts to cover breasts or genitals with objects or censor bars to suggest nudity will also not be allowed.
The new policy was implemented in response to the rise of popular streams known as “topless meta” or “black bar” meta. These streams, despite technically complying with Twitch’s attire policy and being tagged for “Sexual Themes,” sparked controversy within the Twitch community due to their suggestive nature.
“For many users, the thumbnails of this content can be disruptive to their experience on Twitch,” Hession wrote in a blog post about the update.
The platform is also working on a feature that would allow streamers to blur thumbnails for content tagged with Sexual Themes. Users will also have the option to filter out mature content, including streams with sexual themes, tobacco or alcohol use, violence, or explicit language.
These changes come after multiple revisions to Twitch’s policies on nudity and sexual themes within the past month. A December update to the policy allowed for “fictionalized” nudity featuring nipples, buttocks, and genitals in response to feedback from the art stream community. However, the platform later retracted this policy after an influx of hyperrealistic AI-generated nude images raised concerns.
“Digital depictions of nudity present a unique challenge — AI can be used to create realistic images, and it can be hard to distinguish between digital art and photography,” Twitch CEO Dan Clancy explained.
The topless meta trend gained widespread attention last year when streamer and OnlyFans model Morgpie began appearing naked in streams. Her streams were framed to show her bare shoulders, upper chest, and cleavage, implying nudity but never explicitly violating Twitch’s sexual content policies. However, she was ultimately banned from the platform after hosting a topless charity stream for Doctors Without Borders.
Other streamers began making similar content, using black bars, sheets of paper, or strategically placed objects to cover themselves. Some male streamers also joined in on the trend, streaming nude but covering their genitals and nipples. But not everyone was supportive, with streamer Gross Gore criticizing topless meta creators as a danger to children in a recent stream.
The gendered double standard on Twitch has also been a point of contention among creators. While all “female-presenting breasts with exposed nipples” are forbidden (with the exception of breastfeeding), male streamers are allowed to show their full chests. This double standard was brought up by several creators in response to Twitch’s policy update.
“It makes no sense that men can be shirtless on stream, but if women do it and aren’t even visible it’s somehow a problem,” Twitch affiliate Ren_Nyx commented.
Others have expressed concerns that the new policy will primarily affect smaller, lesser-known streamers, while bigger and more profitable creators may still be able to get away with breaking the rules.
- “We can only hope that you put your money where your mouth is and actually enforce these new rules towards everyone it applies to — not just small streamers and vtubers,” VTuber MissusMummy replied to Twitch’s post.
- “The big named money makers need to know they are not exempt from following the rules.”
Only time will tell how strictly Twitch will enforce its new policy and whether or not it will level the playing field for all streamers. Until then, creators will have to abide by the updated attire policy and hope for consistency in enforcement across the board.
Me trying to go viral on the new topless “artistic” meta on @Twitch
Most viewed streams on the Twitch art directory rn 13+ website btw
W CHARITY STREAM!!!! Raised so much for Doctors Without Borders!! Thank you everyone who contributed
