Twitch was launched a decade ago and has since evolved significantly. One sign of this evolution is the existence of a 'do not ban' list. Recently, a massive leak disclosed information about Twitch's upcoming projects and streamers' earnings. It was also revealed that Twitch has been maintaining a list of streamers who are immune to bans for nearly five years.
The 'do not ban' list contains the usernames of users and the reasons for not suspending them. It implies that Twitch staff refrains from banning these streamers even if they violate certain rules. There may have been undisclosed agreements with these streamers, particularly those who were allowed to stream certain content, such as IRL content, before it became officially permitted on Twitch in 2016, potentially rendering the list obsolete.
In many cases, the 'do not ban' list prevented moderators from mistakenly banning streamers. Some streamers on the list may have displayed toxic behavior but were still shielded from bans. Conversely, Twitch unexpectedly banned popular streamer Dr. Disrespect in 2020 without providing a clear explanation. The outdated 'Do Not Ban' list indicates Twitch's past user loyalty and willingness to embrace non-gaming content even before it was officially endorsed.
Despite this, the relevance of the 'do not ban' list in the current landscape is uncertain. It draws parallels to Facebook's recent "XCheck" controversy. Do you believe the 'do not ban' list still serves a purpose today? We encourage you to share your opinions in the comments section below.
