Twitch reveals new Username Policy, which is now more strict about “inappropriate” usernames

Twitch has shared a new post that reveals the company will have a new Username Policy. This new policy will have stricter guidelines when it comes to “inappropriate” and potentially harmful usernames. Twitch claims the new policy is to make the service more welcoming to all types of people and to curb any potential harassment. Twitch also believes that since usernames are searchable they should be held to a higher standard than other places people express themselves.

As part of the new community guidelines, a username should not have anything to do with hate speech, threats of violence, or have any personally identifiable information. Usernames also can’t have any references to sexual acts or hard drugs, excluding alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana. Twitch has different levels of what type of enforcement approach when dealing with usernames that don’t follow the community guideline. The punishment is determined by how clearly a user breaks the community guidelines.

If a username is a clear violation of the new community guidelines, Twitch will issue an indefinite suspension until the username is reset. If an existing username violates the new policy but isn’t a clear violation of the community guidelines, the account will be flagged for reset and the user will be locked out until the name is changed. If a person tries to create a new username that violates this policy, then that name will be flagged and the person will need to create a new name.

Twitch also requests that people should report users who have names that break the new guidelines.