Several livestreamers and members of the streaming community have been accused of past sexual misconduct and harassment over the weekend, and now the world’s biggest livestreaming platform, Twitch, has spoken out on the matter.
In a statement posted to Twitter on June 22, Twitch says that after seeing the swathe of allegations over the past few days it will begin “actively looking into” the accounts of some of those accused and cooperate with law enforcement if necessary. The statement also commends the bravery shown by those who have spoken out.
“We take accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct extremely seriously,” Twitch’s statement reads. “We are actively looking into the accounts concerning streamers affiliated with Twitch and will work with law enforcement where applicable. We’re thankful for the bravery shown by those who have come forward to speak about their experiences and we are committed to working to make the streaming community safer for everyone.”
— Twitch (@Twitch) June 22, 2020
Popular Twitch streamer Asmongold also made a video in solidarity with those calling out the “disgusting” allegations, while also urging people to continue exposing those who are “making the community worse” by exploiting positions of power.
Regarding Streamers/Orgs and Sexual Misconduct pic.twitter.com/LDf47hL9e8
— Zack (@Asmongold) June 22, 2020
Among those to be accused of sexual misconduct are streamers with hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitch, creators from other streaming platforms, and other members of the streaming community such as agents and managers.