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Twitch has updated its music streaming rules but it really doesn’t change anything

Streamers will now get a clearer warning, but will still have the content removed.

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Image: KnowTechie

If you took a time machine back just a year or two and went to Twitch, you’d find plenty of streamers playing music through things like Spotify. Then, nearly a year ago, the Amazon-owned streaming giant started cracking down on these streamers with DMCA takedowns.

Now, Twitch has sent out a new email to streamers outlining an updated set of rules on streaming unlicensed music on the platform. Essentially, it now means that streamers will get a warning from Twitch over the use of unlicensed music instead of being worried over total channel takedowns.

According to The Washington Post, the emails were sent to streamers this week and one of the most interesting parts can be found below:

Unlike DMCA, Twitch will give creators a chance to course- correct by first issuing a warning:
If a live stream involves one of several specified flagrant music uses (examples include rebroadcasting music concerts and broadcasting pre-release tracks), Twitch may also issue a warning or penalty depending on the creator’s history of that kind of music use. We will have more information to share here in the coming weeks.

Basically, what this is saying is that now streamers will, in most cases, get a clear warning first. This is better than before, where it could be a bit unclear on what actually happened to them during DMCA takedowns.

These warnings still include the removal of the offending content, however.

It still leaves plenty of questions, especially ones surrounding streamers who reach out to companies or artists and get permission to use their music in streams. Will the algorithm and moderators be able to easily take that into consideration or will the videos still be caught in the storm?

As Mike Futter points out on Twitter, it also means the new system seems less open to counter-claims, so in the long run, this might actually be worse for streamers.

Facebook Gaming has already started working with music companies to provide music rights to streamers, and I have to imagine that YouTube Gaming isn’t far behind. With YouTube bringing high-profile streamers to the platform like TimtheTatman and DrLupo, it seems the Google-owned company is looking to increase its streaming presence.

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Former KnowTechie editor.

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