You may have the body of a Greek god, all rippling muscle and taut sinew, but no matter how good you look in a Speedo (or out of one), Twitch would very much appreciate it if you'd keep yourself covered up while you're streaming on its service. In fact, it's gone so far as to insist on it, with an update to its rules of conduct mandating that all streamers dress "appropriately."
"Nerds are sexy, and you're all magnificent, beautiful creatures, but let's try and keep this about the games, shall we?" the "Dress... appropriately" section of the Twitch Rules of Conduct states. "Wearing no clothing or sexually suggestive clothing—including lingerie, swimsuits, pasties, and undergarments—is prohibited, as well as any full nude torsos, which applies to both male and female broadcasters. You may have a great six-pack, but that's better shared on the beach during a 2-on-2 volleyball game blasting 'Playing with the Boys.'"
If you happen to be broadcasting from an "unbearably hot" location, the solution is simple. "Just crop the webcam to your face," the rule states. "Problem solved."
Was this actually a problem? I'm much more of a reader than a watcher, but I've never heard of this being an issue prior to now. I can't say I'd be surprised if it was—sex sells, after all—but did it really need to be spelled out in the rules? Or is this tightening of the terms merely an inevitable outcome of Twitch's recent acquisition by mega-conglomerate Amazon?
Whatever the motivation, Twitch seemed inclined to play down the significance of the change. A PR rep told Polygon, "We wanted to clarify the ages-old question of dress code," and added, "It's not what I would call breaking news since most of it is common sense."
