Twitch has updated its guidelines for nudity in streams. After the old rules were "not clear" enough, the streaming platform now clarifies using clear examples, what you can and cannot show live.
The new guidelines are sometimes surprisingly precise. For example, women are allowed to show cleavage, but both nipples and so-called "breasts" (known as underboob in English) are prohibited. We summarize the new Twitch rules for you.
What is now prohibited on Twitch?
Not all parts of the updated guidelines are completely new, but Twitch has now become clearer in many areas. So what is or remains banned in nudity on Twitch? Here is a selection of the most important no-gos:
Showing genitals or buttocks: Not even outlines of genitals should be visible, "transparent or partially see-through clothes" also do not count. Because Twitch wants you to completely cover "the area between the waist and the lower end of the pelvis and buttocks".
For women, cleavage is okay, but nothing more: The best thing to do here is to quote directly from the guidelines, because Twitch "asks those who act as women to cover their nipples." Even "visible breasts" are not allowed. On the other hand, the "display of cleavages" is permitted as long as they are covered sufficiently according to the other rules.
Games about sex, nudity or pornography are also prohibited: Not much has changed here, content for adults was also previously prohibited.
How much nudity is allowed on Twitch?
However, the new guidelines also contain some exceptions for special situations in which less clothing is allowed. Such special conditions apply, for example, if the following things can be seen in the stream:
- IRL streaming: If you stream on the street and people in the background walk past you, this is not automatically a rule violation.
- Swimming and beach stays, concerts and festivals: Swimwear and bikinis are allowed as long as they cover everything that is important and do not become transparent.
- Body art: Body painting (such as that of the streamer MizzyRose) is allowed, provided that it is about creating the art and no breasts are visible.
- Breastfeeding infants: The standard rules for covering breasts do not apply to mothers who breastfeed their babies in the live stream.
The Complete New Nudity Policy and a more comprehensive definition of all exceptions can be found on the official Twitch homepage.
What were the nudity rules on Twitch in the past?
The new regulations were necessary, among other things, because older versions of the nudity guidelines were very context-dependent. It used to be said that streamers should appear "as is appropriate on public streets, in a mall or in a restaurant".
This description is obviously not very precise, that's why Twitch has now set clearer limits. It remains to be seen whether the new rules will suffice or whether streamers will continue to find loopholes and nudity-related gray areas.
