Twitch bans 'waiting room' streams to protect original content creators from impersonation

Twitch Support has announced a new policy that will ban channels acting as ‘waiting rooms,’ which re-broadcast content from larger streamers without adding any commentary or creative engagement. These bans are aimed at channels that impersonate and repurpose content from popular streamers to attract viewers and generate revenue without contributing original material.

When moderating these streams, Twitch will evaluate factors such as the stream title, channel bio, and reports from the impersonated channels. The rise of ‘waiting room’ streams has led to smaller channels re-using popular content, creating competition for original content creators by diverting views and potential income.

Reaction streams involving commentary or active engagement with another user’s live stream will not violate the new policy. Channels hosting streams in anticipation of events, such as a game expansion or character release, will also be unaffected. The new policy aims to protect original content creators by eliminating streams that reuse content without adding creative value, addressing concerns about content theft and its impact on legitimate streamers’ revenue.