Twitch targets butt streams with new rule banning 'content that focuses on intimate body parts for a prolonged period of time'

An image of Morgpie, a Twitch streamer, playing games via a green screen of her butt. There's not really a way I can paint a picture for you that isn't weird, so that's all you're getting.
(Image credit: Morgpie on Twitch.)

It's best if you imagine Twitch's latest rules update being read by a downtrodden, barely present spokesperson. 

"Content on Twitch is always evolving," they mutter, unable to recall how many versions of that statement they've composed before. "And we want to make sure our rules work as intended and keep up with emerging behaviors." 

The behavior that emerged this time is streaming games on butts. That is, using one's posterior like a green screen, overlaying a gameplay feed on it. (Or just pointing a camera at your butt.)

If streaming Fortnite on your butt or watching other people stream Fortnite on their butts is something you enjoy, you'd better get your butt streaming in soon, because this is one emergent behavior Twitch isn't going to let continue. On Friday, "content that focuses on intimate body parts for a prolonged period of time will not be allowed," the site announced.

Twitch has updated its sexual content guidelines with the new rule.

As Harvey outlined in his report from last week, writing and enforcing fair and equitable rules related to sexual content, including defining what isn't and isn't "sexual," has been one of Twitch's biggest struggles, in part because creative streamers will try anything it doesn't explicitly ban. 

One of the great innovations occurred when Twitch said that streamers could only wear swimsuits if they were in a swimming-related setting, which prompted streamers to start addressing their audiences from inflatable pools. Twitch ultimately added an official "Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches" category. In this instance, it has not opted to add a Butts category.

@TwitchSupport Our Community Guidelines are designed to help make Twitch a welcoming place. Content on Twitch is always evolving, and we want to make sure our rules work as intended and keep up with emerging behaviors. When needed, we make updates to our rules to capture those shifts in behavior, and so it's clear to the community what is allowed.

(Image credit: Twitch)

In anticipation of Friday's TOS change, butt streaming pioneer Morgpie is currently streaming with a camera positioned under a transparent chair. "I wish people would stop complaining about the ass and enjoy it until Friday," she said cheerfully in response to a complaint in chat.

As for what the new meta will be after Friday, she said she doesn't know. Whenever it arrives, we can be sure we'll hear once again that "content is always evolving."

Tyler Wilde
Editor-in-Chief, US

Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the '80s and '90s, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on early PCs. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now, and PS1 classic Bushido Blade (that's right: he had Bleem!). Tyler joined PC Gamer in 2011, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.

Read more
Zenless Zone Zero Nicole build - Nicole flipping a coin
'Gooner 9/11' averted as Zenless Zone Zero's butt-obfuscation technology is rolled back in the face of horny outrage
Twitch Nvidia NVENC encoding
Twitch is changing its suspension policy so that violations have an expiry date because the system 'didn’t acknowledge community members who had learned from their past mistakes'
The TikTok app with Donald Trump ranting behind it.
The run up to the US TikTok ban got as messy, emotional, and weird as the final days of an MMO—and now everyone's back and no one can look each other in the eye
Alan Wake, a writer in a snazzy black suit, gives his all during The Herald of Darkness music video from Alan Wake 2.
The biggest gaming controversies of 2024
A grinning head in a toilet
With equal parts confusion and shame, I regret to inform you that Skibidi Toilet is coming to Fortnite
Kerbal Space Program 2
NASA is hosting the first Twitch stream from space and I'm already picturing the chat with equal parts fear and excitement
Latest in Streaming
The OBSBot Tiny 2 Lite on a blue background
My favourite 4K webcam spins on a gimbal to track your face, and it's now at its lowest ever price at Amazon
Fallout New Vegas Key Art
The Fallout season 2 leaks continue with videos of the New Vegas set, including a sign for Mr. House's casino
The black and pink Razer Seiren Mini microphone next to each other on a blue background
The adorable budget Razer microphone I've recently bought is now even cheaper and the only downside is it's not pink like mine
A chaotic Google Doc with a terrifying minion.
I can't even handle one person in my Google Doc, yet this YouTuber invited over 800,000 people to vandalise his homework all at the same time
Kerbal Space Program 2
NASA is hosting the first Twitch stream from space and I'm already picturing the chat with equal parts fear and excitement
An NZXT Capsule Elite microphone set up on a desk with lighting enabled.
NZXT Capsule Elite review
Latest in News
Will Poulter holding a CD ROM
'What are most games about? Killing': Black Mirror Season 7 includes a follow-up to 2018 interactive film Bandersnatch
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers
Sony, which is making a Helldivers 2 movie, is also making a new Starship Troopers movie, but it's not based on the Starship Troopers movie we already have
Assassin's Creed meets PUBG
Ubisoft is reportedly talking to Tencent about creating a new business entity to manage Assassin's Creed and other big games
Resident Evil Village - Lady Dimitrescu
'It really truly changed my life in every possible way': Lady Dimitrescu actor says her Resident Evil Village role was just as transformative for her as it was for roughly half the internet in 2021
Storm trooper hero
Another live service shooter is getting shut down, this time before it even launched on Steam
Possibility Space concept art.
Possibility Space owners sue NetEase for $900 million over allegations it spread 'false and defamatory rumors' of fraud at the studio that ultimately forced it to close