Beauty & Body Art Community Concerns
Since Body Painting has been established as a valid category on the platform, there has been a noticeable lack of encouragement from Twitch in creating a healthy community around it. This lack of support is further emphasized by the massive push back and public harassment of Body Painters online, including but not limited to: Organized hate raids by other streamers, Streamers sexualizing body painters on their own live streams, Public groups that organize mass reports on body painters, Lack of response by Twitch to counter the culture of continued degradation of women through objectification by viewers (including inappropriate usernames).
Twitch has a growing issue on its platform in regards to Body Art, one of its more controversial categories. The streamers of this category are heavily targeted for harassment every day by other streamers and their communities, often leading to malicious mass reports on accounts resulting in account suspensions and bans with little offering as to the specifics of what the offense entails. While the community is grateful for Twitch to include this art on it's platform, the seeming lack of effort to foster a sense of support for the community is disappointing. While it is true that Twitch has offered a recent update to the community guidelines in regards to body painting, they still leave too much up to interpretation. These gray areas leave a number of inconsistencies laid bare on the enforcement of these policies, and leave the streamers feeling a lack of safety in their art. The additional focus, and inequality of these rules being enforced on male presenting streamers as well, also has a play in how the Body Painters are objectified as these guidelines are settled under "****** Content".
Proposed Solution
Twitch has an opportunity to lead by example and help to change the rampant culture of ****** harassment and hateful conduct on the platform by showing support for one of it’s most controversial categories. After much discussion with over 100 body painters about the trials we face on a daily basis, we came to a few proposals that if implemented would create a better sense of belonging, safety, security and health in the category. Many of these proposals also have the ability to improve the ****** harassment faced by all females on the platform if expanded on.
Being as controversial a category as Body Painting is, the community would like to ask for even MORE defined guidelines. There are too many areas that need further definition, such as how long is a short break when painting since the average body paint takes anywhere from 6 to 8 hours to complete? What constitutes performing unrelated activities? How much coverage actually has to be painted before a stream starts (whole ***? Areola/*** and underbust only? Does it need to be detailed or is a single color ok? Do we need to start with the chest as we paint or starting with the face ok?)? As streamers we've seen inconsistency in enforcement of these rules as some streamers are known to show off a pet on stream in a break from painting, some eat while simultaneously painting, and others may take a moment to answer bigger questions on stream. In many of these situations we've seen some people become suspended or banned from the platform when being threatened with reports while live, and others no severe action taken under the same threats. By further defining time limits, expectations of paint coverage to meet, and what is considered a break versus participating in unrelated activities, it leaves little question to the streamer as to what is allowed, and removes some of the discrepancy between how these reports are handled.
To further elaborate on these discrepancies, we would like to propose that a team of two persons be assigned to review reports against body painters. This can be expanded on to include all ****** content reports that happen live, but is important that there be little room for error when handling these cases. In order to set a precedence for conduct and what is expected, there has to be consistency in the actions taken as well as the reasoning behind those actions. Not only are the guidelines easily interpret-able, but the reasons for suspensions and bans are even more vague and lacking context. If the reports made against body painters are handled by specific staff, that further makes it possible for consistency and clearer definition of the offense when resulting in punishment.
I cannot stress enough how the platform as a whole would benefit from clearer reasoning for suspensions and bans. While it is hard to give time stamps for the offense in question due to the VOD being removed from the site, it would not be impossible to supply a screenshot or clip with clearer definition of the actions being performed that were against policy. Not only does being clearer about policy enforcement help the community by setting clear precedent, it honors an overwhelming outcry to Twitch to honor its commitment to transparency.
There is also a great opportunity here to add in a community manager for the creative category with an emphasis on Body Painting. With a community manager, those streaming in Beauty&Body Art would have a designated point of contact when there are questions or concerns about content they wish to produce. Community managers also allow Twitch to have live eyes on the category and better utilize the warning system as things are happening live allowing the streamer to either end their stream or course correct immediately. This line of communication also narrows the ability of more edgy streamers to intentionally misinterpret the guidelines, and would give Twitch staff in Safety and Policy a better view of the issues and harassment going on. This suggestion is one that has been implemented by competitors, including YouTube, who have active community managers that do outreach to streamers and communities while live.
The list of issues facing body painters is long, and the concern over the lack of support received from Twitch as a category is frustrating. We truly believe in Twitch as a platform though, and the powerful change that can be made in the current culture of objectification and ****** harassment, not only by other streamers but the viewers as well, if Twitch were to take a stance in this controversial category. As a community, we sincerely hope that you will hear our voice, our concerns, and take into consideration our many proposals for solutions. We are open to discussion with policy staff and willing to work to help better the platform as a whole.
Hey guys!
There were some discussions that weren’t super applicable to feedback and I have gone ahead and removed them.
We super appreciate the feedback and want to keep hearing your ideas. Please just keep it focused on bodypainting/body art community and feedback around that, over feedback on specific channels/users.
If you have anyone who you are concerned about on Twitch or someone who you are worried about how they are acting on Twitch always feel empowered to report them so our team can further investigate the situation.
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data_64 commented
There is no point even having guidelines if you're not going to be specific enough that users can tell what they are. It helps no one, costs content creators and costs viewers, which therefore costs the platform. Lose-lose.
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fuzzytoesocks commented
This is definitely overdue and you can't keep banning people for following the rules and keeping people who break them not banned! Body painters are Incredible.
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CandiceGardania commented
I support the artists. It is time to stop punishing them for following the rules that you already set And for twitch to start following their own rules. Also, this toxic environment they do not help to thin down or discourage needs to end. Trolls run rampant and that needs to come to an end. Stand with your creators.
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tumbleina commented
I support the artists. It is time to stop punishing them for following the rules And for twitch to start following their own rules.
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nathan_that_canadian commented
This is way long overdue! I fully support my body painter!
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AshleysWonderland commented
This is LONG overdue!
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zeducky commented
I support the body artists and painters, they do amazing art and should be allowed to express themselves
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klityGremlin commented
Full support for artists
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oldgeezerlurking commented
I watch several streams of body art and would miss it. You really should quite relying on trolls for you info for suspending them.
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grapewitch commented
I support body painters and artists
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leefromcalgary commented
I have seen talented people on the platform who had moderators and as a group they followed the guidelines and were still penalized without any feedback or explanation. It is extremely disheartening to them and their fans to be put in "solitary electronic confinement" like that if they feel they did nothing wrong.
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CaptainWonderHarley commented
As a bodypainter, I have been to scared to stream recently for fear of being banned based off unclear rules. This issue needs to be addressed
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film_man_dan commented
I Stand for All Painters !!
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donnerd0 commented
Voted :-)
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coachb1313 commented
100% support the art!
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xxcodeg88xx commented
Voted and shared
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Mizzy commented
I would love to see more defined rules. In reality though, body artists are the ONLY group with a break "limit". This rule is not extended to other categories/situational exceptions (Ex. Beach streams are not limited). There is a bit of unfairness/discrimination to that guideline, even more so not being properly defined. I understand if the content is TOTALLY unrelated like dancing or gaming etc. , but just talking or thanking our supporters should not land us a ban. Limiting breaks and communication with our community is counter mental health. I stream on Twitch to enjoy my time and escape the "real" world. Body paints can take 6-15 hours, so it would make sense for us to have a nice long break sometimes to get to know our community more! I am okay with other rules, but the "break" one is what confuses me. I personally feel targeted and deemed inappropriate just for casually showing my artistic expression WITHOUT performing anything sexually related.
I would love for there to be a designated Bodyart manager, not just for the "Bodyart" category, but also for the tag "Body painting" for Just Chatting streamers. Many of us partners (and non partners) stream in "Just Chatting" because it is where we thrive and we get to really expand our communities by gaining followers that have found an interest (previously unknown) in this form of art! Iv'e had so many amazing people come through that never even knew bodyart existed or have never watched it before. I am trying to constantly spread positivity and awareness that bodyart is in no way inappropriate or a bad expression. We cover our selves up to the standards, we should not be defined as inappropriate, just like wearing a bikini top.
Hope to see better. Thanks!
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Driznar commented
Everyone has different rules. High view count streamers get away with not following guidelines that are enforced on low count ones. Please don't try to deny it. I've seen it more than once. If you have common sense rules 1: clearly define them 2: enforce it equally across the platform.
Thank you
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Satyr_Bloodstone commented
I personally have witnessed the troll behavior which leads to the massive yet ******** bot reporting which prompts a lot of unwarranted bans. We need clear guidelines and a responsible review process so the artists aren't getting banned unnecessarily.
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zarathos000 commented
Truly clear guidelines that remove the guessing game about what is and is not acceptable practice. (i.e. defined break times, paint coverage practices, etc...)
Clear examples of the offending behavior in any suspension notice. This to extend to all categories.
A Community Manager for the Beauty and Body art streamers that understands the nuance of the art, and given a clear understanding of Twitch's strategy for moderating these streams.
A dedicated person(s) to review the reports for Body Art streams to ensure consistent moderation across the entire community.
A commitment to helping fight the pervasive harassment that so often invades not only body art streams, but the streams of many female content creators.