‘Alarming’: Hot tub streamer Amouranth reacts after Twitch advertising revenue suddenly cut off
A woman who rakes in cash from controversial “hot tub” streams on Twitch has reacted after her ad revenue was suddenly cut off.
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One of the most popular streamers – Amouranth – says her advertising revenue has been cut off by Twitch, even though she has not broken any rules.
Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa said she had been informed that Twitch has “indefinitely suspended advertising” on her channel.
Yesterday I was informed that Twitch has Indefinitely Suspended Advertising on my channel
— Amouranth (@Amouranth) May 18, 2021
Twitch didn't reach out in any way whatsoever. I had to initiate the conversation after noticing, without any prior warning, all the ads revenue had disappeared from my Channel Analytics
“Twitch didn’t reach out in any way whatsoever. I had to initiate the conversation after noticing, without any prior warning, all the ads revenue had disappeared from my channel analytics,” she wrote on Twitter.
Amouranth is famous for the controversial trend of “hot tub” livestreams on Twitch – which is making female stars plenty of money – but it has its critics.
RELATED: Twitch star temporarily banned over accidental nudity
Streaming site goes from gamers to hot tubs
The livestreaming platform has been flooded with users making cash by chatting with fans from hot tubs while wearing bikinis.
Most Twitch livestreams are of gamers playing video games, with fans able to chat with the streamer and send them money.
As news.com.au revealed, the site also hosts other kinds of streams that aren’t necessarily about gaming – including some of the hot tub trend, where scantily clad streamers just chat with fans.
The trend has been blasted by some as being a perceived violation of the platform’s community guidelines, which specifically prohibit sexually suggestive content.
Alarming precedent
Amouranth described it as an “alarming precedent”.
“[It] serves as a stark warning that although content may not ostensibly break community guidelines or terms of service, Twitch has complete discretion to target individual channels and partially or wholly demonetised them for content that is deemed ‘not advertiser friendly’, something that there is no communicated guideline for.
“This leaves open-ended the question of where the line is drawn.
“Many people complain about ToS [Terms of Service] being ‘unclear’ but at least there’s something to go by.
“There is no known policy for what results in a streamer being put on this blacklist. With characteristic opacity, the only thing Twitch made clear is that it is unclear whether or when my account can be reinstated.”
Twitch last year issued new rules on sexually suggestive content and partial nudity.
It came after a similar dispute over women’s cleavage on livestreams.
So far, Twitch has yet to comment on the issue.
It’s not yet clear if other streamers have been affected.
Banned for nudity
Not everyone is happy about the hot tub live streams, which some view as being too sexual.
Some online commenters have even compared the streams to softcore porn which is accessible to minors.
You only need to be 13 to have a Twitch account – but there is some evidence to suggest some are much younger.
And while many of the hot tub streams fall within Twitch’s sexual content rules, some have crossed the line.
Streamer imjasmine, who has 242,000 followers, was hit with a temporary ban from the platform after having an accidental wardrobe malfunction while streaming from a paddling pool.
And Indiefoxx, who has 729,000 followers, has also been banned at least four times, including for rule breaches during hot tub streams.
Supcaitlin, who has hosted hot tub streams, was recently banned for “inappropriate” clothing.
‘Get this trash off’
The debate around the hot tub streams has been raging, but it appears unlikely they will be banned any time soon.
Twitch’s rules state: “Swimwear is permitted as long as it completely covers the genitals, and those who present as women must also cover their nipples.
“Full coverage of buttocks is not required, but camera focus around them is still subject to our sexually suggestive content policy.
“Coverage must be fully opaque, even when wet. Sheer or partially see-through swimwear or other clothing does not constitute coverage.”
Marcus Graham, Twitch’s head of creator development, addressed the hot tub trend directly in a recent livestream.
“Our nudity and attire policy does allow bathing suits in an appropriate context, and hot tubs do fall under that criteria,” he said.
“However, what has not changed is the sexually suggestive and explicit content is not allowed under the guidelines, under the [Terms of Service], and Twitch will take action when that is reported to us.”
Despite many videos being within the rules, some critics have shared their dismay at the hot tub craze.
“Went on Twitch and seriously got confused as to what app I was actually on,” Twitch streamer MsBananas recently tweeted, alongside thumbnail images of hot tub streams and a pole dancer.
“What in the actual f**k happened to Twitch…?!”
Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel, the most-watched broadcaster on Twitch, also weighed into the row, calling the trend “the most pathetic thing we’ve seen on Twitch in forever”.
“What a sad reality. Please get this trash off the front page,” he tweeted.
Not everyone agrees the trend is a problem, however, pointing out that nobody is being forced to watch.
Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter, the internet’s most-watched female streamer, defended the hot tub trend after reading angry comments against it.
“Why are you so angry? It works for a reason. It’s free for you,” she said in a video.
“You don’t have to donate or subscribe, like isn’t this a good thing? Like, isn’t that what men want to see for free?
“I don’t get what the issue is. If no one is hurting anyone, then what’s the issue?”
– with The Sun
Originally published as ‘Alarming’: Hot tub streamer Amouranth reacts after Twitch advertising revenue suddenly cut off
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