Twitch updates community guidelines to prevent misinformation spread

Twitch has updated its community guidelines to prevent users from spreading misinformation.

As reported by Polygon, Twitch amended its Spam, Scams and Malicious Conduct Policy to add a section about what it calls "harmful misinformation actors."

In a blog post announcing the change, Twitch said that its goal is "to prohibit individuals whose online presence is dedicated to spreading harmful, false information from using Twitch."

According to the new policy, "misinformation superspreaders" who relay erroneous reports "persistently" will be prohibited on the platform.

"We seek to remove users whose online presence is dedicated to (1) persistently sharing (2) widely disproven and broadly shared (3) harmful misinformation topics," Twitch said.

These three criteria need to be met for the platform to take action, with Twitch clarifying that it will not apply to "users based upon individual statements or discussions that occur on the channel."

It published a list of examples, which includes misinformation targeting "protected groups," fake theories regarding COVID-19, civic misinformation "that undermines the integrity of a civic or political process" (such as election rigging), and more.