New Twitch appeals portal lets users monitor and object to ...

The new appeals hub allows users to view enforcement actions eligible for appeal starting today at appeals.twitch.tv. Twitchisupdatingitsappealsandreportingprocesses,followingthroughonproductupdatesthecompanypromisedlatelastyear.Thebiggestchangeistheintroductionofanewportalwhereusersfacingaccountsuspensionscanappealthoserulingsandmonitortheprogressoftheirrequests. WhileTwitchdealswithitsfairshareofuserswithbadintentions,thecompanywantstoprovidemoreclarityandconsistencyforuserswhoaccidentallybreaktherulesintheprocessoflivestreaming. Thenewappealshuballowsuserstoviewenforcementactionseligibleforappealstartingtodayatappeals.twitch.tv.Theportalwillusuallybelimitedtobansenforcedwithinthelast60days,butthecompanysaysthatanyonefacinganindefinitesuspensionthatwentintoeffectbeforethatintervalwillalsobeabletorequesttohaveaneligiblecasereviewedthere.Thenewappealstoolwillalsoappearintheprofilemenuunderthe“safety”section,whereitwillremainavailableevenforuserswhoarecurrentlysuspended. UsersappealingTwitch’smoderationdecisionswillstillreceiveanupdateoveremailwhenanappealisacceptedorrejected.Thecompanynotesthatthosedecisionswillnowbeaccompaniedbymoredetailonitsthinking,thoughthatstillwon’tincludehowmany“strikes”anaccounthasbecauseenforcementdecisionsconsidercontextandseverity—notjustthequantityofviolations.Twitchalsosaidthatitstillplanstoattachrelevantvideoclipstoitsemailedenforcementnotices,butthatparticularfeatureisstillintheworks. “Sometimeswegetitwrong,whichiswhytheappealsprocessissoimportant,”Twitchwroteintheannouncement.“We’veheardthatourcurrentsystemisslow,andthatitdoesn’tprovideenoughinsightabouthowyourcurrentappealisgoingorhowpastappealshavegone.Thisisparticularlyimportantforcreators,whoearnincomefromstreamingfortheircommunities.” ImageCredits:Twitch Twitchisalsomakingupdatestoitsreportingsystem,invitinguserstosearchforthereasontheyareflaggingcontentandofferingcustomizedmenusdependingonifreportedcontentappearsinalivestream,VODoraclip.ThechangeswillappearfirstonthewebversionofTwitch,rollingouttomobileafterward,withaglobalrolloutcompletewithinthe“nextfewmonths,”accordingtothecompany. Whileallmajorsocialplatformscontinuetograpplewiththecomplexityofcontentmoderationatscale,thefactthatmostcontentonTwitchisstreamedliveaddsanadditionallayerofchallenge.Twitchrelieslessheavilyonautomatedcontentmoderationsystemsthansomeofitspeers,leaninginsteadonhumanreviewteamsthatprioritizespeedduetothereal-timenatureofthevastmajorityofitscontent. TwitchVPofGlobalTrustandSafetyAngelaHessionpreviewedtoday’supdateslatelastyearinablogpostthatreviewedtheplatform’scontentmoderationpoliciesandsafetytools.Twitchviewershipexplodedduringthepandemicandthecompanyhasbeenscalingupitscontentmoderationeffortsaccordingly. ThoughitdeclinedtoprovidespecificnumberstoTechCrunch,Twitchsaysithas“quadrupled”thenumberofmoderatorsreviewinguserreportsoverthelasttwoyears.Thecompanynotesthatitrespondstomorethan80%ofreportswithin10minutes. “Asourcommunityhasgrownandbecomemoreglobaloverthepastfewyears,we’vecontinuedtoscaleandstreamlineouroperationsaccordingly,whilestillprioritizingkeepingahumanintheloopinallaspectsofmoderation,”TwitchVPofGlobalSafetyOperationsRobLewingtonsaid. Beyonditseverydayenforcementdecisions,thecompanyattractsalotofattentionforenactingtemporarysuspensionsagainstsomeofitsmostpopularstreamers.InDecember,politicalstreamerHasanAbiwashitwithasevendaybanafterusingtheword“cracker,”whichTwitchapparentlyconsiderstobealegitimateanti-whiteslur.OtherstarstreamershavebeenbannedforeverythingfromsexyyogaposestostreamingAvatar:TheLastAirbender. Meanwhile,Twitchcontinuestowrestlewithhateraids,thepracticeoffloodingastreamer’schannelwithharassmentenmasse.ThoseattacksoftentargetmarginalizedTwitchstreamers,furtherdrivingthosevoicesoffaplatformwhereBlack,LGBTQandfemalestreamersalreadystruggletogainafoothold. InNovember,Twitchintroducedanewautomatedtoolthatdetectsaccountstryingtogetaroundchannel-levelbans.ChannelbansareoneofthemainwaysthatTwitchstreamersandmoderatorscancontrolwhocaninteractwithinacommunity,butbanevadersrenderthatotherwisepowerfuloptionineffectual. Latelastyear,Twitchtooktheextraordinarystepofsuingtwo“highlymotivated”usersfororganizingthousandsofbotaccountsintohateraids,thoughthecompanydidnothavetheirrealidentitiesatthetime.“ThisComplaintisbynomeanstheonlyactionwe’vetakentoaddresstargetedattacks,norwillitbethelast,”Twitchwroteinthesuit. StreamersareboycottingTwitchtodaytoprotesttheplatform’slackofactionon‘hateraids’ Twitchsuestwousersforharassingstreamerswithhateraids Twitch’snewestmoderationtoolspotsaccountstryingtogetaroundchannelbans