Twitch has finally issued a statement on deepfake porn after an incident in January involving multiple high-profile streamers. The company has pledged to take immediate action, including a platform policy change, consulting with an online security expert, and a Creator Camp to help streamers protect themselves.

The blog post says that while deep porn is not a problem on Twitch, which has pre-existing guidelines prohibiting explicit content, it is a problem that primarily affects women who use or are associated with the platform. “While we have the most control over what happens on our own service, we want to help streamers protect themselves or quickly respond to this type of situation anywhere it arises,” she read in the Twitch statement.

To that end, Twitch is updating its policies to include tougher penalties for anyone on its platform caught promoting, creating, or sharing these types of images. The policy update includes a new term for what is generally known as “deep fake porn,” with Twitch labeling it “synthetic non-consensual exploitation imagery,” or “synthetic NCEI” for short. Twitch explains that the term “pornography” is inappropriate, as pornography should refer to consensual acts performed by volunteer performers, while “synthetic images” are used to ensure that the policy covers the variety of techniques that could be used to create images. not consensual. .

Twitch is updating both its Adult Sexual Exploitation and Violence Policy and its Adult Nudity Policy with the following provisions:

1. We are updating our Adult Sexual Exploitation and Violence policy to make it clearer that intentionally promoting, creating, or sharing synthetic NCEI may result in an indefinite suspension on the first offense.

2. We are updating our adult nudity policy to include synthetic NCEI. Even if that NCEI is displayed only briefly or, for example, is displayed to express outrage or disapproval of the content, it will be removed and lead to an app.

Along with these changes, Twitch will be holding a Creator Camp to provide streamers with more information about NCEI, how to spot it, and how creators can protect themselves. This workshop will be led by Zara Ward, a Revenge Porn Helpline Manager and a Twitch streamer herself. Twitch has also been consulting with experts, including the vice president of the Cyber ​​Civil Rights InitiativeDanielle Keats Citron.

he the blog post also contains Some resource creators can access it now if they need help deleting or managing NCEI instances. Twitch ends by stating in no uncertain terms that “the creation, promotion, or display of this content is not welcome on Twitch.”