Rules, Policies, and Guidelines

Your channel’s safety is important.

On Twitch, several Rules, Guidelines, and policies are in place to keep you and your community safe.

In addition to our Terms of Service, Twitch has Community Guidelines outlining our expectations for user-generated content and behavior on and off Twitch. These guidelines foster a sense of responsibility and ensure that everyone participates in a way that promotes a friendly, positive experience for our global community.

We encourage you to read both to ensure your content meets our community’s standards and doesn’t put you at risk of being reported and/or suspended. To get you started, this is an overview of each article on this path.Learning Twitch’s Terms of ServiceLearning Twitch’s Community GuidelinesUnderstanding Reporting and Enforcement on TwitchUnderstanding Appeals on TwitchLearning about Copyrights and Your Twitch Channel

Learning Twitch’s Terms of Service will cover:

Your Agreement to these Terms of Service
Use of Twitch by Minors and Blocked Persons
Privacy Notice
Account
Use of Devices and Services
Modification of these Terms of Service
License
User Content
Prohibited Conduct
Respecting Copyright
Trademarks
Third-Party Content
Idea Submission
Termination
Disputes
Miscellaneous
Requests for Information and How to Serve a Subpoena

Learning Twitch’s Community Guidelines will cover:

The Community Guidelines cover a range of topics and are designed to promote the safety and well-being of the Twitch community, including:

Breaking the Law
Suspension Evasion
Self-Destructive Behavior
Violence and Threats
Hateful Conduct and Harassment
Unauthorized Sharing of Private Information
Impersonation
Spam, Scams, and Other Malicious Conduct
Nudity, Pornography, and Other Sexual Content
Extreme Violence, Gore, and Other Obscene Conduct
Intellectual Property Rights
Content Labeling
Cheating in Online Games
Off-Service Conduct
Prohibited Games

Understanding Reporting and Enforcement on Twitch will cover:

You can report confidentially through the reporting tools on each streamer’s channel page by clicking on the three vertical dots below the bottom right of the video player. When submitting a report, please provide all relevant details to assist our Safety Operations specialists. Including the following information is helpful:

The channel on which the violation occurred
Date, time, and time zone
A description of the violation, including the username of the target(s)
A link to a VOD with a timestamp, screenshot, and/or chat log, if available

When filing a report, please make sure you select the most appropriate category. The more information and context you provide, the more efficiently and effectively our specialists can process your report. Once you submit a report, you will receive a confirmation email that the report was received. If you don’t see that email, make sure to check your Spam folder.

Please note that mass reporting or repeatedly reporting the same content will not increase the speed at which a report is investigated or increase the likelihood of enforcement, and our decisions are based on the content and accuracy of the reporting. For more information, you can refer to the Twitch Safety Center. You can find information about the Community Guidelines, account security, moderation tools, and more.

To help you feel even more confident about the content you produce on Twitch, we’ve curated additional guidance about Hateful Conduct & Harassment, Nudity & Sexual Content, and Music.

Enforcement

When content is reported to us, we issue enforcements against accounts we determine to have violated our Terms of Service and/or Community Guidelines. We consider several factors when we review reports of violations, including the intent and context, the potential for or actual harm to the community, legal obligations, and more.

Violations of our Community Guidelines carry different enforcement outcomes prescribed by our internal policy. They could include a warning, a temporary suspension, or an indefinite suspension in the case of more serious offenses. Repeat violations may also result in more severe enforcement. Violations can also result in loss of privileges such as being featured on the home page or in marketing campaigns, participating in programs and events, and/or accessing features such as automated emote approvals.

Whenever we make an enforcement decision, we share the reason with the account holder. Out of respect for the privacy of individuals, we do not disclose details on enforcement with the wider community. Should the account holder wish to share with their community, they are free to do so.

Understanding Appeals on Twitch will cover:

If you believe you did not violate the Terms of Service or Community Guidelines, or if you believe you incorrectly received account enforcement, you may appeal. Successful appeals usually include remorse, taking responsibility, or additional context and deeper details on the specific incident that demonstrate an error was made. To appeal, go to our appeals portal located at https://appeals.twitch.tv . Appeals sent via any other means will not be considered.

You can refer to the Safety Center for more information on how to submit an appeal.

As a streamer, ensuring your channel experience is positive should always be a priority. For tips and recommendations on how you can foster a safe and thriving community, check out our section on Moderation and Safety.

Learning about Copyrights and your Twitch channel:

We’re here to help you learn and understand the basics of copyright law and the tools Twitch has made available to you. Using those tools, our goal with this article is to help you make informed decisions about using copyrighted material – including but not limited to music, art, videos, etc…