Protect streamers by preventing any access to channel for banned users
This is not to take away from the improvements that have already been made, and are being implemented. The work that is being done is greatly appreciated.
However, further change is needed to better protect streamers for banned users. Merely preventing chatting is not enough to deter harassment, stalking, or intrusive bot behavior.
Most people are aware that measures often can be circumvented, that is not an excuse for the lack of protection that currently exists.
Streamers need a way to completely cut off a user from content. I believe the proposed measures are reasonable, and will also provide protection against abuse as well as preventing intrusive bots from squatting in channels without permission.
The proposed changes are:
1. A banned user is prevented from connecting to a channel's chat completely, which means their name does not appear in the list of viewers.
2. A banned user is prevented from viewing the stream itself, on site or using other means.
3. A banned user is blocked from subscribing and following, and will be automatically unsubscribed and / or unfollowed.
4. A banned user is prevented from viewing any other channel information and content, including the streamer's panels, VODs, clips, followers, and followed accounts.
5. A streamer must be able to toggle an option to treat logged out viewers similarly as a banned user, preventing any access until they log in.
Additionally, to prevent excessive account creation, the following measures should be implemented as well:
6. Accounts need to be verified by e-mail.
7. Limit the amount of accounts per e-mail, to 1 or at a maximum 2.
8. Limit the amount of accounts that can be created from a single IP address per day.
Thank you for your consideration.
We’re happy to announce that we have released an additional update to address these concerns. Streamers can now prevent their banned users from watching their livestreams. You can find and turn on this feature in the Moderation settings section of the Creator Dashboard, through the “Stop banned users from viewing stream” toggle.
Please note, this update 1). does not prevent users from watching livestreams from an incognito window or while logged out and 2). does not prevent users from viewing VODs, clips or highlights. We plan to explore extending the functionality of bans further, including but not limited to preventing VOD and clip playback.
In addition, we’ve made an update so that users that are blocked will now automatically be blocked from watching a streamer’s livestreams.
We will leave this thread open for your other points regarding preventing view of other content types and account creation.
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Squeemeister commented
You currently appear to have no recourse for streamers who are being stream sniped. (None. Not even a clear, easy to find reporting method for this behavior.) Banning someone from my chat sure doesn't help, does it? (They can still watch.) So where's the other option? Where's the Channel Ban?
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fmzemerica commented
I know your heart is in the right place but the idea will never work. VPN are so common now anyone can make a new channel and watch you in a matter of seconds so it won't solve sniping, stalking issues, or harassment.
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manoeln_ commented
Hi twitch,
Quite a simple question, but one that many are wondering.
When will banning the user from the stream really be worth it? Chat-only "ban" does not interfere with the spread of hate speech caused by an attacker/malicious users.
It is worth noting that just blocking the user from the chat can be done with tools that already exist, timeout. We want broadcasts to be safer for everyone. And the user's total blocking of the transmission, clips, voids and even the channel in general, is the most viable and safest option. To end the gratuitous hate that many creators receive, just for doing their job. We are waiting a few years for this implementation in the banning tool. -
UnicornLifeArt commented
I agree! Anyone who is banned should not be allowed to continue watch the streams, vods or clips.
Also should be banned any other new account connecting from that IP -
KannaKamui70 commented
There's a few channels that i watch that have the issue of being stream sniped and it ruins the gameplay and stream content of the streamer. One of the streamers that i know are pretty much getting stream sniped every single time they stream, and there's no way to block the snipers. even when they defeat the stream ****** in the game, they just respawn, look at the stream for what location to go to, and finds the streamer all over again to annoy them for the full 3-5 hours of streaming. it makes some streamers not wanna stream games because of sniping, and some viewers might not want to stay and watch the stream, because all they see is the streamer being harassed in a game the whole time. Please implement the ability to ban people from watching streamer content completely.
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Flash_Hound commented
If someone is banned from a streamer's chat, they should also see a notice on the stream window informing them that they're not permitted to see the broadcast along with the active "banned from chat" notification they see in that streamer's chat.
It would make it easier to see for unwanted viewers to be informed that they're currently unwelcomed to that streamer's community.
In addition for the mod/streamer side of the channel, that person's username is completely hidden from the user list of that channel's chat for everyone except the mods and streamer of the channel or that person's username can be separated into its own category called "banned users" but that category would only be visible to the moderators/streamer of the channel as it wouldn't be seen by anyone who isn't a moderator of the channel or the broadcaster of the channel.
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Aussie_iTV commented
When a streamer or mod band someone from the stream, make it so that person cannot access any part of the stream.
Currently they can still watch the stream and access panels. But if the streamer/mods have banned them, then its unlikely they want that interacted with. Or give streamers the ability to chose if their bans remove everything or just chat. -
TheRedTop commented
Then comes another problem, they create a new account and comes right back. Also is the site for buying follow bots should not be allowed to exist. This is a big problem. Then we have the bullying streamers. They come in your chat and while they are live they are streaming your stream and says all kind of nasty things aout you. And for some reason they get unbanned. And comes back and doing all the harrasment all over agian. Why? Just why
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TheGimpGrind commented
I'm not certain if this is an appropriate category, but modify bans so that when you're banned from a channel, you can't watch streams or VODs at all.(so the stream window shows up as a black screen)
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ZeoICGF commented
Yes! there should be a stream ban as well as a chat ban. I can only assume twitch doesn't allow this for ONE reason and ONLY one reason.
DCMA BS. If smaller streamers had the ability to completely block, they could block any known music and movie sniffer bots, and hence effectively be able to completely evade DMCA strikes.
Fighting the supposed losses of living life normally for your cooperate overlords, should NEVER be prioritized over customer needs and safety. Copyright music in streams, unless being used as the SOLE focus of the stream, hurts no one, and is part of normal life!
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Anonymous commented
If Twitch can make VODs subscriber-only, there is no reason why there can't be a feature that either puts the live broadcast in subscriber-only to help mitigate this issue, or a feature that makes it so that banned users can't see someone streaming after they've been banned, or a way to put your channel into a private invite-only mode. There is NO reason for this to still be a major problem on Twitch. Get your @#$% together and protect your users already!
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Whatnoticus commented
I have seen people attempt suicide due to hate raids, There has to be actual security for people. twitch has been losing ground due to safeguards constantly being undermind, lets not forget the leak of THE AUTOMOD SOURCE CODE last year.
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manicz0mbie commented
Banned users should be banned off my channel PERIOD. No viewing, no interacting.
I had people from 4Chan dox me and my mods. We are trans and do not need to be murdered cause Twitch decided not to place these protections. Thank you for posting this. Hopefully this will get addressed some time soon. I will be sending them emails about this in the meantime.
WE HAVE BEEN BEGGING FOR THIS FOR FAR TOO LONG! GIVE US PROPER PROTECTIONS!!!!
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[Deleted User] commented
Streamers block/ban users for a reason. Please explain why if a child should not be watching my stream (bc I have explicit content whether I curse or use harsh/crude language,) that them not being able to read chat does anything to help that? They can still see and hear me.
Then lets not even get into the fact that you're encouraging creepy stalker behavior from problematic users who are of age. When we block/ban someone, it means we don't want anything to do with them.
Please correct this
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Vitki_ commented
I'm a mod, and we have serious issues with stream snipers - banning someone should COMPLETELY block their ability to see, hear, interact, etc with a channel. It is ABSURD that banning only blocks chat.
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darthclide commented
Reminder for everyone here that GUID bans have existed for many years. By banning a device, it makes it almost impossible for a person to get around that ban. And let's face it, 99% of the trolls won't have the skill to bypass it, or the money to buy a new device.
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brightshadow commented
How does twitch stop them from watching on their phone or using Starbucks wifi or a vpn? IP bans ARE a good additional step to help deter people, but please do not confuse an IP ban with guaranteed safety if they are implemented. IPs are trivial to change/spoof.
Locks only keep honest people out.
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its__syn commented
Especially for women, it is important that banned means BANNED completely from the streamers' channel.
This means If I ban someone, I do not want them to be able to watch my stream.
Not from their account, not from their IP address.
They need to be cut out completely.It makes no sense to ban someone knowing that a ban still allows him to ******** on me.
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twitch.tv/MonicaElleRose commented
i wish we had this option. super frustrating. this is also very similar to this uservoice
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JellyfishVibez commented
It was brought to my attention that banned users can still watch this streamers content without other restrictions besides not being able to chat/follow/sub/gift subs. This makes me feel unsafe with the ban structure on Twitch. If I wanted to just warn a viewer/have them not partake in my streams before banning- I would just time them out. On social media - when you ban someone they can't view your content for the safety of the content creators out there. This also doesn't protect the streamers that have 18+ topics/content when they are doing their best to prevent a younger audience from viewing their page. Being able to still view & listen in does not protect streamers from further harassment either.
Please fix this Ban feature so that banned users from channels cannot view streamer's content at all!
Help make us feel safer in the Twitch community.