Twitch is a popular live streaming platform that has become a hub for gaming and esports content. Many people wonder what the minimum age requirement is for streaming on Twitch. The answer to this question is simple: you must be at least 13 years old to use Twitch. This requirement is in place to comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which is a federal law that requires websites to obtain parental consent for collecting personal information from children under the age of 13.
It’s important to note that Twitch also has a set of community guidelines that all users, regardless of age, must abide by. These guidelines outline the types of content and behavior that are acceptable on the platform and are designed to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
In conclusion, if you’re interested in streaming on Twitch, you need to be at least 13 years old. By following the community guidelines, you can help maintain a positive and inclusive environment for everyone on the platform.
Why You Can’t Stream on Twitch if You’re Under 13
Even though Twitch is popular among the younger audience, the company has a strict age requirement. You can’t stream on Twitch if you’re under 13, and here are some of the reasons.
Unfit content for minors: Streamers under 13 years are vulnerable to unfitting content they may not be ready for. This includes nudity, pornography, drug abuse, violence, and other inappropriate media that could cause mental damage if consumed by minors.
Negative influence: Children under 13 years have impressionable minds. If they watch inappropriate or offensive content on a stream, they might emulate it in real life. And such practices might lead to undesirable consequences in the future.
High chance of cyberbullying: When underage children use social media sites like Twitch, there’s always a risk of being cyberbullied or experiencing other forms of abuse from strangers. And such can negatively impact their mental health and self-esteem.
Privacy issues: Children under 13 years are not mature enough to understand privacy issues related to social media platforms such as Twitch. They might share personal information online without realizing it could be used against them later in life.
Legal issues: According to US laws, children below 13 years are not allowed to access sites containing adult content, including pornography or gambling websites. It is illegal for any site to let them do so. Hence, Twitch follows this rule strictly by banning all users under 13 years from accessing their platform.
How to Verify Your Age on Twitch
Twitch offers a straightforward way to verify your age. Whether you are appealing an age suspension or creating a new account, here’s how to verify your age on Twitch;
1. Open twitch. tv and navigate to the contact support page.
2. Proceed and choose Category, select Privacy Questions, then click Date of Birth changes.
3. Go ahead and fill out the details.
4. Proceed to verify your profile by providing;
- Your account’s email address
- Your Date of Birth
- The last 4 digits of the telephone number you used to set up two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Your current IP address.
- Provide a copy of your ID to prove your identity and Date of Birth.
5. The Twitch support team will review and inform you once they update your date of birth.
What Should You Do if Your Under Age Kid is Using Twitch?
Twitch is committed to enforcing its age restriction policy, which states that users must be 13 years of age or older to access Twitch services. If you are a parent or guardian of an under 13 years kid who has a Twitch account;
Email privacy@twitch.tv to request the deletion of the account and removal of your child’s information from Twitch’s system. In the email, please include your child’s username, the URL of their profile page, and proof of identification showing your child’s birth date.
If you aren’t the parent or guardian;
Use Twitch’s reporting tool to report the child. Follow the company’s step-by-step reporting procedure under the Filing a Report menu. To access the menu, open twitch.com, click the menu icon and scroll to Reporting & Enforcement. Provide the account’s username and email. The Safety Operations team will investigate the account, and if there’s sufficient evidence that the user is under 13, they will suspend the account indefinitely.
Essential Tips for Streaming on Twitch as a Minor
Twitch allows minors who have attained 13 years and above to sign up for an account and start streaming. Here are some tips for streaming on Twitch as a minor:
1. Avoid sharing your personal information on live streams: No matter the temptations, do not share your details with anyone when streaming. This includes your address, phone number, or email ID. Additionally, never disclose your account information to any streamer on the platform.
2. Disable private messages from viewers and streamers: Twitch allows users to enable or disable private messages from viewers and streamers. Enabling this feature will allow viewers to send you private messages. However, you should disable this feature if you don’t want strangers messaging you. This will also prevent people from sending inappropriate messages while watching your stream.
3. Enable chat filters: When in group chats, you can filter out words that are inappropriate for minors, including sexually explicit language, hostility, discrimination, and profanity. By doing so, you will keep your chat box clean and family-friendly.
4. Maintain civility with Twitch users: Twitch is a community full of people from different backgrounds. You may be in the middle of an argument with another streamer or user due to differing views. It would be best if you always remained civil; this will help you avoid any unnecessary trouble.
It’s safe to ignore or block abusive streamers on the platform than get into arguments with them. Twitch has a robust reporting system that you can use to report abuse.
5. Abide with the Twitch Terms of Service: While streaming, ensure you are not in violation of any rules or regulations set by Twitch. These include using copyrighted material without permission, offensive language, racial slurs, etc.
By violating the Terms of Service established by Twitch, you risk beings suspended temporarily or permanently from the platform. Thus, it’s best if you follow the set guidelines carefully.
Conclusion
Twitch is not a safe place for children under 13 years. According to Twitch’s Terms of Service, the minimum age to use the service is 13. However, if you are over 13 and below 18 years, you must get consent from your parent or guardian before using their services.
