Another dress policy modification bans “topless meta” and other implied nudity streaming on Twitch.
On Wednesday, streamers were told they cannot “imply or suggest that they are fully or partially nude” or reveal their genitals, even if covered. Covering breasts or genitals with objects or censor bars to indicate nudity is likewise illegal. Female streamers can expose cleavage if their nipples and underbust are covered and “it is clear that the streamer is wearing clothing.”
The upgrade follows the growth of topless or “black bar” meta broadcasts, in which broadcasters appeared nude by employing smart framing or black censor bars to conceal their breasts and genitals. The streams were contentious despite not violating Twitch’s dress guideline prohibition on nudity and being appropriately categorized for “sexual themes.”
The thumbnails of this material can disturb Twitch for many viewers. Twitch customer trust officer Angela Hession blogged about the upgrade. While material designated with the Sexual Themes label isn’t visible on the front page, it is displayed in category explore directories, and we realize that many people utilize these sites to access Twitch content.”
The company is also working on a feature that would allow streamers to blur thumbnails for sexually themed content and user settings that would allow viewers to filter mature content like sexual themes, tobacco or alcohol use, violence, or explicit language.
Twitch has updated its nudity and sexuality restrictions many times in the previous month. In December, the site allowed “fictionalized” nudity, including nipples, buttocks, and genitals, after input from its art stream community.
Illustrations, animations, and sculptures depicting nudity were allowed, but VTubers and actual streamers had to follow the platform’s dress guidelines, which prohibited bare breasts. The platform’s site no longer pushed streams classified with adult labels after the change created an all-encompassing “Sexual Themes” label.
A few days later, the site lifted the creative nudity prohibition. The streaming community was comfortable with bawdy furry art, but hyperrealistic AI-generated nude photos caused concerns. Twitch CEO Dan Clancy noted in a follow-up blog post that the modification went “too far” and that the firm shared “community concern” over AI-generated nude material.
“Digital depictions of nudity present a unique challenge—AI can create realistic images, and it can be hard to distinguish between digital art and photography,” Clancy added.
Late last year, OnlyFans model Morgpie began streaming nude, igniting the topless meta. Her “topless” streaming revealed her shoulders, upper breast, and cleavage. The framing indicated nudity but never revealed Twitch’s officially prohibited sexual material. Her topless charity webcast for Doctors Without Borders got her banned from Twitch.
Other streams made similar stuff and covered themselves in black bars, paper, and game controllers. Some male broadcasters mocked the trend by broadcasting naked but concealing their genitals and nipples. The popularity of suggested nude imagery disturbed other providers, especially male viewers. After sexual assault and grooming charges, Twitch banned Gross Gore for breaking its off-platform conduct rules. In a recent stream, Gore called topless meta developers a risk to children.
Other Twitch streamers have criticized the gendered double standard, which prohibits “female-presenting breasts with exposed nipples” unless lactating yet allows entire chests for men. Ren_Nyx said in an X comment on Twitch’s rules change announcement that “it makes no sense that men can be shirtless on stream,” but “if women do it and aren’t even visible, it’s somehow a problem.”
Others worried the new restriction would primarily harm smaller streams.
“We can only hope that you put your money where your mouth is and actually enforce these new rules toward everyone it applies to—not just small streamers and vtubers,” VTuber MissusMummy wrote to Twitch’s X post. “The big-name money makers need to know they are not exempt from following the rules.”
