Twitch Thinks Cheating in Games is a ‘Low Severity Violation’

Twitch has recently updated its terms of service, detailing modifications to their enforcement system. This update clarifies that infractions will no longer persist indefinitely but instead ‘will be removed’, with the severity of the infraction determining how quickly it’s erased from your account history. The most serious violations could stay on your account for up to two years.

In summary, the updated policy statement by Twitch Support indicates that they view cheating in video games as a relatively minor offense, labeled as a ‘low severity violation’. This means that any punishment for such violations will be removed from your record within 90 days.

Getting Away With It

Twitch’s enforcement update came with a graphic that shows how things work on the platform.

Each new account begins with a clean slate, free of any violations. If found guilty of cheating during a game, you’ll face a temporary ban for one day, and your record will carry this penalty for 90 days on your account. Repeat offenses result in a three-day suspension, which resets the 90-day mark and extends it even further.

Following that 90-day window, you’ll be returned to ‘good standing’.

In other words, if you’re found cheating more than once, by serving your suspension, you’ll regain your status as a respected member of the Twitch community in approximately 3 months.

One form of rephrasing could be: In today’s gaming world, cheating is a major source of disruption – a problem that has been escalating for quite some time. At times, certain games become nearly unenjoyable due to cheaters spoiling the experience for everyone. Publishers and developers have even resorted to taking legal action against ‘cheat creators’, demanding compensation in the tens of millions of dollars.

And many have been successful in their pursuits of justice.

In South Korea and China, producing or employing cheats in video games could result in fines or imprisonment. However, Twitch is currently prohibited in China, and about a year ago, they ceased operations in South Korea.

It’s astonishing to me, being such an enthusiast for multiplayer games, that a player can openly cheat during a live stream on Twitch and a) receive only a temporary ban of one day, and b) see their records expunged entirely within 90 days.

Isn’t it more appropriate to consider severe consequences for individuals engaging in dishonesty at professional tournaments, aiming to pocket large cash prizes? A simple one-day suspension might not be enough of a deterrent.

At a minimum, you’re serving as a clear example of the shortcomings in the platform’s policies, but under the most unfavorable circumstances, you could be informing others about how and where to bypass rules in popular multiplayer games. Some unscrupulous users may leverage their live streams to actively advertise cheating software, with some cunning operators even earning referral rewards for directing harmful gamers towards cheating websites.

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2025-02-21 15:18