Streamer Support for Hate Raids

Hate raids are an ongoing, escalating problem on Twitch. Harassment based on gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability status, and neurodivergence (among other factors) is not a new problem, but it’s happening again, and – once again – it’s targeting streamers from marginalized communities, especially Black women. In response to this, Twitch reported that they are working on tools to be released later this year. However, many in the streaming community believe there is an ongoing lack of support from Twitch in terms of creator safety. As such, many streamers are doing their best to help keep each other safe on a community level.

The hashtag #TwitchDoBetter on Twitter is a good resource for practical tips for streamers on how to handle all of this. Some highlights Black from creators include:

This article from The Verge on setting up a “panic button” includes tips from our board member, Tanya DePass. ImStillJohnny created a tool to detect swastikas. Dasbif, an experienced moderator, provided us with his Front Page or Hate Raid quick list:

Turn off all Text To Speech and spammable alerts/sounds
Turn off on-screen follower notifications (name and sound)
Turn non-mod chat delay to 6 seconds (maximum) in channel moderation settings
Disable or increase price on the default channel points rewards, in particular:
Highlight my message: off, or price >2000 points
Turn off the ability to post links. Either Twitch’s global setting or use of a moderation chatbot works great
One specific recommendation is to dedicate 1 or 2 moderators to the exclusive task of reporting users to Twitch. (During or after the broadcast) https://help.twitch.tv/s/article/how-to-file-a-user-report?language=en_US
Adjust followers-only duration and slow mode as needed.
(Optional) turn off sub/bit alerts
(Optional) Increase minimum bits to cheer to 100 or more. (Bits get messages around filters like sub-only and emote-only)
(As Needed), in case of a hate raid or sudden influx of trolls. First response: turn followers-only mode on to 10+ minutes while the mods assess the situation

KingArgaroth has created this comprehensive set of tools, suggestions, and resources that complements the list from Dasbif, above. @endhateraids on twitter has created a tool for removing hate symbols.

The_French_Tuck offers this advice: “One big thing that has come in handy is having a group chat with all your mods in it. If you have a Discord, providing a separate mod channel or even making a separate mod discord is a good idea. This allows mods to communicate more effectively. Additionally, if you don’t have a streamdeck, there are ways of creating individual scenes in your broadcasting software that can be helpful. Mine mutes any on-screen alerts, takes off my camera and mic, and displays a message that says something to the effect that I am helping my mods.”

There is a movement for a #ADayOffTwitch on Wednesday September 1. There are differing opinions about this approach. We encourage you to consider pros and cons.

Finally, if this is too much, we encourage you to find support. Reach out to friends and communities you’re a part of, find a support line (like the Games Hotline) if you need it, and look at our compilation of Online Harassment Resources if you need further tools or support.