Twitch

Twitch is a popular live streaming platform for videogames and its community of fans from across the world, with over 30 million daily active users. The app allows gamers and gaming fans to watch their favourite gamers play and chat as part of a community with other fans from around the world. You cannot join a live game in Twitch, but you can use the platform to chat with other fans whilst watching a game being live streamed. Although gaming is the dominant part of Twitch, it also allows the sharing of a range of other content with categories for users to browse on other topics. Other themes include music and arts, E-sports, fitness and chat.

Official age rating

The minimum age for Twitch users is 13, however, it does not have any rigorous age verification methods.

App Store rate it as 17+ whilst Google Play gives it a ‘Teen’ rating.

The age rating of 13 may apply to the functionality of the Twitch app itself but older content can be livestreamed using the app, and therefore the age rating does not reflect any user-generated content. In addition to the age rating, above Twitch’s ‘Terms of service’ it states that those under 18 must have parental supervision.

Find out more about age ratings in our ‘A parent and carer’s guide to age ratings of apps and games’.

How children and young people use the app

Twitch is loved by gamers and gaming fans. Children and young people enjoy watching livestreams of their favourite gamers, potentially chatting or commenting on the play of celebrity live streamers and enjoying the excitement of the game being played live. It’s also a place for them to chat to other groups of fans and form connections. Children who sign into the game often have different channels where they check out their favourite gamers, watch previous gameplay or newly uploaded content.

Twitch is often used in a similar way to YouTube to watch the best gamers play, but whereas YouTube has a wide range of content across a range of topics, Twitch is particularly known for its popularity with gaming fans. Twitch offers interactivity in the live chats and chat features (memes and emojis) that encourage a sense of shared community and participation. Those that are actually streaming can also read the chat in real-time and may even respond to messages, which can be very exciting for children and young people. On Twitch the focus is really on viewing the live stream and sharing enjoyment of gaming in an ‘in the moment’ way.

Twitch.tv offers a ‘signed-out’ experience so it is easy to get an overview of the content on Twitch without signing up for an account. This can be a useful way to understand Twitch at a glance

Key features and terminology

Direct messages between users in Twitch.
Particular interest area or content being livestreamed by a specific gamer or influencer.
In-platform currency that viewers can use to cheer or show appreciation and support for the streamer they're watching through the chat function.
A feed of channels and live-streaming content that Twitch users follow
A feature that allows users to live-stream their chosen content.
The chat function allows users watching the same stream to communicate with one another. The person who is streaming is also able to follow and engage with the chat.
A paid-for chat message which can temporarily stay pinned to the top of the chat. These messages range in price from £1 to £500, depending on the streamer. The amount of time the message stays pinned to the top of the chat, as well as how long the message can be, is determined by how much the user spends.
This feature allows account holders to pre-set multiple safety settings which can be activated with one click. It has been designed to be manually enabled when higher protections may be necessary, such as if the account is receiving harassing messages.
Clips that streamers and their editors can highlight on their channel page. They can also feature any clips of their channel created by any viewer on Twitch.
When a user donates ‘bits’ to a streamer.
Streamers will sometimes dress as characters from the game they are playing. Dressing up can add a fun element to your stream.
When a broadcaster streams for an extended period of time (typically 12 to 24 hours long).
Broadcasters can choose some of their viewers to be moderators. These ‘Mods’ are responsible for enforcing the channel’s rules by removing inappropriate chats, handing time-outs, and banning disruptive users.
A feature only available to mobile users where they can post video or image content to their profile that are only available for 48 hours.

Potential risks

Content

Although the app itself is age rated 13 and Twitch does have moderators in relation to content and chat, it does allow the livestreaming of a number of PEGI rated age 18 games such as Grand Theft Auto which contains significant amounts of sexual and violent content. In reality, most of the games livestreamed on Twitch are aimed at older users and have mature content and themes. Twitch does feature gamers swearing and playing adult games with adult themes and talking about these topics. Some content on the platform is marked as ‘18+ only’ and whilst a warning message appears when you attempt to view, users can just click to continue watching. Alongside the user-generated gaming content, fans and followers can also share inappropriate comments in the ‘chat’ and comment section, which can be rude, bullying or hateful. Twitch does have some chat moderation that tries to pick up on and stop extremism or hate in the chat but given the volume of livestream and Twitch interactions there are limits to what this moderation achieves. To help manage the type of inappropriate content that your child is exposed to, it is recommended that you monitor the types of channels and streams your child watches to check they are suitable.

Connecting with others

There is rapid chat on Twitch which is often coded and difficult to understand if you are not familiar with the slang, emoticons and gaming references being used. The chat is a significant aspect of Twitch which runs alongside all live games and content and you cannot switch it off, although it can be hidden if you choose to. It is possible to restrict who can contact you directly in your contact settings - direct contacts are referred to as ‘Whispers’. Speak to your child about the risks of chatting with strangers and explain the importance of not sharing any personal or identifiable information with other users within chats. Remind younger users that conversations should only be about the content they are viewing and encourage them to tell you if they have been asked more personal questions or to chat privately in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable.

User behaviour

Children and young people who watch livestreams may want to broadcast and stream their own content. As a platform that encourages comment and engagement Twitch users can sometimes be exposed to unkind comments or reactions to the content they stream. Remind your child to tell a trusted adult if they experience hurtful or bullying comments on the platform and to use the ‘Report’ and ‘Block’ functions on the platform. It’s important to talk to them about the risks of livestreaming in which they may be broadcasting or streaming unedited content about themselves to anyone on the site. Encourage them to think about what they put into their broadcasts, their language, their background and their digital footprint more generally. Remind children that all content can be screenshotted, saved and widely shared. They always need to consider the content they create and share by really thinking about whether they would be happy for everyone they know to see it.

Design, data and costs

Twitch is free and paid for by adverts. There is a significant amount of exposure to adverts on Twitch including gaming adverts and general adverts. Ad-free browsing is available but users must pay for this. Users can also be drawn into using ‘Bits’ to show their appreciation for their favourite gamer, or even into making a donation directly which is also possible within the app. We recommend parents check that their financial details are not connected to their child’s Twitch account and that they remind their children that these features cost real money.

Users can follow their favourite gamers for free but if they want to follow their channel they will have to subscribe. If a user subscribes to an individual broadcaster, this will also cost them money. It is important to be aware that Twitch is lucrative for gamers and some gamers have made a lot of money from the platform through adverts, donations and subscriptions.

Twitch can be massively popular with children and young people who love gaming. Like gaming itself, watching others game can be absorbing for children and young people - they may need boundaries to support them from not watching extended hours of livestream.

Tips for keeping your child safe

There’s no specific information on the Twitch app or website to give parents or carers advice on how to keep their child safe using the app. Instead, you will need to look at the settings on the individual mobile device to put controls in place.
To set to ‘Private’ on iOS:
- go to the ‘Game centre’ in the settings on your iPhone
- scroll down to ‘Privacy and settings’ and change your ‘Profile privacy’ to ‘Only you’
To set to ‘Private’ on Android:
- go to the ‘Play games’ app, touch the menu icon and click ‘Settings’
- select ‘Game profile’ > ‘Play now’ > ‘Your game profile’
- adjust your visibility and notifications settings to the most private options
You can prevent your child receiving direct private messages from a stranger by setting the contact settings to people your child knows. However, group chats are public and you cannot stop others from chatting to your child or shut off the chat function. Twitch users with an account can choose to set some chat filters to block hate speech and sexually explicit language, but because of the volume and speed of live chat these may not block everything. You can also disable gifting in settings.
To change the contact settings:
- go to the settings menu and select ‘Security and privacy’
- choose the option to ‘Block whispers from strangers’
To enable chat filters:
- go to the settings menu within the chat function
- select ‘Chat settings’ and then toggle the ‘Enable filtering in chat’ to on
To manage visibility:
- go to your profile and select ‘Account settings’
- select ‘Account’ and then ‘My presence status’
- select from the options given:
  - Online
  - Invisible
  - Busy
To activate ‘Shield mode’:
- go to your channel page, Stream Manager or Mod view
- enable ‘Shield mode’ by writing /shield as a chat command
- it can also be activated by clicking the shield icon in the chat section
Users can report and block other users who may be bothering them or behaving inappropriately on the platform.
To block another user:
- find the username of the user you wish to block
- select their username and then the three dots icon
- select ‘Block username’ and confirm by selecting ‘Yes’
To report a user:
- find the user you wish to report
- select their username and then the three dots
- select ‘Report’ and choose the reason why you are reporting then
- select ‘Send’ to complete your report
Whilst there are no settings within Twitch to help manage time or purchases, you can disable in-app purchases on each individual device itself.
To disable in-app purchases on iOS:
- go to settings > ‘Screen time’ and scroll down to ‘Content and privacy restrictions’
- select ‘iTunes and App store purchases’ and set the option to ‘Don’t allow’
To disable in-app purchases on Android:
- go to your ‘Google Play Store’ app
- select ‘Menu’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Require authentication for purchases’
Users can either deactivate (referred to as disabling in the platform) or delete their account on Twitch. Disabling the account prevents the account from being accessed and can be recovered at any time. Accounts that are deleted cannot be recovered and all data is deleted. Users can only delete or disable their Twitch account on the Twitch website.
To disable a Twitch account:
- select your profile icon in the top right corner of Twitch, a drop-down menu should appear
- on the drop-down menu, press ‘Settings’
- on ‘Settings’ scroll down to ‘Disable Account’ and press the link to the ‘Disable Account’ page
- on the ‘Disable Account’ page, choose ‘Disable Account’
- users have the option of providing a reason why they wish to disable their account
To delete a Twitch account:
- go to the ‘Delete Account’ page on Twitch
- choose ‘Delete Account’
- users have the option of providing a reason why they are deleting their account

Additional tips

Check that the games your child is viewing in Twitch are games that you would actually allow them to play outside of the site. There can be a significant amount of adult content in the games that are broadcast on Twitch. It is possible to click on ‘Not interested’ when offered mature content on Twitch so that your child is then less likely to be recommended and offered mature content.

If your child is spending a lot of time watching other gamers live stream, it is important to have a look at the people and channels that your child watches. Talk to them about this and try to ensure that they are watching streams that are age-appropriate in terms of content and reactions.

Official age rating

How children and young people use the app

Key features and terminology

Whispers

Channels

Bits

Following

Go Live

Chat

Hype Chat

Shield mode

Featured clips

Cheering

Cosplay

Marathon stream

Mod

Stories

Potential risks

Content

Connecting with others

User behaviour

Design, data and costs

Tips for keeping your child safe

Managing privacy

Managing interactions and content

Reporting and blocking

Managing time and purchases

Account deactivation or deletion

Additional tips