Twitch Lifts Censorship on Cannabis-Related Usernames
Recently, the Twitch platform announced major changes to its user guidelines. Specifically, Twitch stated that all usernames containing references or hints to the use of illegal drugs would be deactivated by early March unless such references were removed. However, in a rare and welcome exception within the IT industry and social media, the company decided not to include anything related to marijuana and its use (as well as tobacco and alcohol) in the list of banned terms.
“Usernames are the face of Twitch, so with the platform’s growing popularity, we decided to implement some changes to make it more accessible to the general public,” the company’s press release on the reform stated.
Currently, the platform already automatically bans usernames containing profanity, as well as references to various forms of discrimination and pornography.
It’s reasonable to assume that Twitch’s decision to make marijuana an exception may be directly related to its ownership by Amazon. Amazon is not only the largest company in the U.S., but also one of the few public organizations that has recently voiced support for the full legalization of marijuana in the country. At present, Amazon has not only stopped testing its employees for marijuana use, but has also established an official lobbying effort in support of cannabis reform in the U.S. Congress.
It’s worth noting that other tech giants, such as Facebook and Google, continue to censor pro-cannabis content on their platforms, a stance supported by their business partners, including various multinational corporations and media holdings.
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