Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has announced a new system to penalize streamers who fake their viewership numbers by using viewbots. The platform said it has been working on this problem for a long time because many creators use external services to make their streams appear more popular than they actually are. Twitch says this hurts both the company and honest streamers who grow their channels naturally without using fake viewers to boost their numbers.The new punishment system will start coming into effect in May. According to Dan Clancy, streamers who are caught repeatedly using viewbots will have limits placed on their number of concurrent viewers, also known as CCV. This means that Twitch will prevent fake boost numbers from appearing across the platform. The company explained that the limit will be based on the streamer’s general actual traffic and will affect all Twitch surfaces where viewership numbers are shown to users.
Twitch plans viewer limits and longer punishments for repeat offenders
Dan Clancy said that Twitch has improved its systems for detecting viewbotting, but the company still faces challenges as viewbot services continue to change their methods to avoid getting caught. Despite these difficulties, Twitch says it wants to continue the fight against fake engagement because it creates an unfair environment for creators who don’t cheat.The platform also confirmed that punishment will become more severe for repeat offenders. A streamer who continues to use Viewbots may face lengthy penalties over time. However, Twitch will privately notify creators whenever any enforcement action is taken on their channel. Streamers will also be allowed to appeal through Twitch’s appeals portal if they feel the punishment was handed down in error.Twitch explained that it would not publicly disclose which streamers were being penalized. According to Clancy, sharing those details could help viewbot companies learn how to avoid Twitch’s detection systems. Because of this, the company plans to keep most of the enforcement process private while continuing to improve its technology.The announcement comes amid an ongoing discussion about fake viewers in the streaming community. Many creators and fans have debated how common viewbotting has become on streaming platforms in recent years. Twitch says this new system is only the beginning, and the company plans to expand its anti-viewbotting efforts in the future as it tries to make the platform fairer for everyone.