Twitch and the regulated media

The Question of the week for my presentation was Who controls and monitors the media. My case study relating to this looked at Twitch.tv and some regulations it has regarding its viewers and producers. Twitch is a privately owned streaming service that strives to maintain a community of respect and passion.To ensure this quality of content, Twitch utilizes the ESRB video game rating system to identify which games are prohibited on their site such as Adult Only content. Outside of the ESRB, Twitch also bans the use of excess sexuality or violence. In this process, Twitch has banned users for showing off detailed gun replicas, using hate speech and offensive language, illegal solicitation, or sometimes even simply having inappropriate attire.

To ensure this quality of content, Twitch utilizes the ESRB video game rating system to identify which games are prohibited on their site such as Adult Only content. Outside of the ESRB, Twitch also bans the use of excess sexuality or violence. In this process, Twitch has banned users for showing off detailed gun replicas, using hate speech and offensive language, illegal solicitation, or sometimes even simply having inappropriate attire.

One of Twitch's larger issues that have led to past lawsuits (Twitch won) had to deal with viewing bots, programs design to inflate viewing numbers. This was considered fraud and cybersquatting and Twitch has had several users permanently banned for creating and implementing these bot programs.

Here are my sources:

•About. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://www.twitch.tv/p/about/

•Community Guidelines. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2017, from   https://help.twitch.tv/customer/portal/articles/983016

•Cook, J. (2014, October 20). Twitch Founder: We Turned A 'Terrible Idea' Into A Billion-Dollar   Company. Retrieved September 14, 2017, fromhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-story-  of-video-game-streaming-site-twitch-2014-10

•DiPietro, M. (2016, June 17). On Artificial Viewers, Followers, and Chat Activity. Retrieved   September 14, 2017, from https://blog.twitch.tv/on-artificial-viewers-followers-and-chat-  activity-317906f1c7ea

•Goldsmith, J., & Wu, T. (2006). Who controls the Internet?: illusions of a borderless world. Oxford   University Press. Retrieved on September 10, 2017, from  http://www.rexsresources.com/uploads/6/5/2/1/6521405/who_controls_the_internet_.pdf

•List of Prohibited Games. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2017, from   https://help.twitch.tv/customer/portal/articles/1992676-list-of-prohibited-games

•Parenti, M. (2010). The Politics of News Media. Sacred Heart University Review, 19(1), 1. Retrieved   September 10, 2017, from http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/shureview/vol19/iss1/1

•Twitch Interactive Inc. v. Bouchouev et al, 16-cv-3404, (UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN   DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA SAN JOSE DIVISION June 17, 2017).