Twitch Responds to Claims of Blocking Israeli Sign-Ups Amid Controversy
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Twitch Clarifies Allegations of Blocking Israeli Users from Creating Accounts.
Twitch has responded to mounting allegations that it blocked new users in Israel from signing up for the platform. The controversy began on October 20, 2024, when Ynet, an Israeli news outlet, published a report claiming that Israeli users attempting to register on the livestreaming platform were receiving unexplained error messages. This story was soon shared on the popular r/LivestreamFail
Twitch BANNED Israel Accounts ? pic.twitter.com/iDB5lOb4kD
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) October 20, 2024
The situation quickly gained attention, prompting Twitch to address the matter on October 21, 2024. According to their statement, the company had temporarily disabled sign-ups using email verification in both Israel and Palestine following a serious event that took place on October 7, 2023.
Twitch’s explanation revealed that the disabling of email verification in these regions was part of a broader effort to prevent harmful content from being uploaded to the platform. Following the attacks on October 7, Twitch temporarily paused email sign-ups in these regions to reduce the risk of graphic material related to the violence being shared, aiming to protect users and the integrity of the platform.
However, Twitch admitted that while phone verification remained available, they failed to re-enable email verification for users in Israel and Palestine. In their official response, Twitch expressed their regret over the confusion this oversight caused, stating:
“We deeply regret this unacceptable miss, and the confusion it has caused. We’ve fixed the issue, meaning all affected users can sign up with email verification. We’ve also heard concerns about whether our Community Guidelines apply to all content on our service. We continue to enforce our rules as consistently as possible, and are actively reviewing content and taking enforcement action where needed.”
It would appear that @djclancy999 and @ Twitch
have blocked major swaths of IP space from creating twitch accts in israel. Its not just VPNs either, its normal ISP's. If you live in israel, Check the link belowAdvertisement
error: 2023 blocked country IPhttps://t.co/afsOOEZpa9 pic.twitter.com/V4v70eEQq2— dan cant tweet (@dancantstream) October 20, 2024
The platform clarified that while sign-ups had not been entirely blocked, users could only register with phone verification during the period in question. Now, email verification sign-ups have been restored for both regions, and Twitch reassured users that they continue to monitor content to ensure community guidelines are being followed.
We wanted to address concerns we’ve seen about whether we’re preventing Twitch account sign ups in some regions.
— Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) October 21, 2024
When signing up for a Twitch account, you can select an account verification method – email or phone – for added protection. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, we…
Tensions further escalated when prominent YouTuber and H3 Podcast host, Ethan Klein, accused Twitch CEO Dan Clancy of “hating Jewish people” during an October 19, 2024, podcast. Klein’s remarks were made in reference to the controversy surrounding Twitch’s decision to lift bans on certain controversial figures, including Nico “Sneako” and the Fresh and Fit Podcast.
Twitch’s response aims to clarify the steps they took to safeguard users following the attacks, but the company continues to face scrutiny from both users and critics alike as the conversation about the platform’s moderation policies evolves.
Shivam Kumar
Hi, I'm Shivam Kumar. I'm pursuing Journalism honors from the IP University. I love the skill of writing and looking forward to learn more of it. Also I love traveling and experiencing new things every day....
