Twitch Chat Etiquette Pro-Tips
A Miss Manners Guide From Someone Not Above Dick Jokes
I wanted to take a break from writing about Twitch. Specifically, TwitchCon, which I suppose means writing more about this parasocial fest of a platform. Twitch’s chat feature can be as toxic as reading the worst Subreddit you could imagine in real-time very quickly, but it can be a great place to find a safe space with like-minded people. You can choose your adventure with your content and community, but you should keep some things in mind.
This is Your First Quest: Read The Streamer’s “About Me”
One of the first things I look at on a Twitch channel is their “About Me” section, which you should also check out. Besides getting a general feel, the streamer will most likely outline their own rules for participating in the chat. Listen to that before me — all streamers have a barometer for what they will tolerate (potential bullshit) as long as it fits within Twitch’s Terms of Service. The biggest thing I see in most rules is a wording of “have some common sense” or honestly as simple as “don’t be a dick” — so obviously, use common sense and don’t be a hateful monster or a dick. It would be best if you still read it to understand the content you are watching and the community you’re inhabiting. Some streams are very laid back, and some have intensive rules, especially if the demographic will naturally attract an audience that has a chance of being more challenging to manage. You’ll also find out whether the channel is “family-friendly”; in other words, hold off on the potentially “blue” jokes. Their streaming schedule, system specs, perks to you being a paid subscriber, and typically a small bio and access to other social media platforms they’re on.
As a side note, if you’re a streamer that happens to be reading this, take advantage of this section. I don’t stream, but from a viewer and consumer standpoint, putting some effort into this will stand out and help you, and that’s not the try-hard writer in me. If I had this platform, I’d express myself as much as possible here while giving relevant social media links for people who might want to follow you a bit too much. I have subbed to people based on a well-written and fun bio in the channel profile, barely seeing any content. This is part of your pitch, and welcome to my hell. You and I aren’t very different; we ultimately pitch and sell our content.
Trauma Dumping: The Streamer is Not Your Therapist
So, you had a bad day? Do not take it out on the streamer in the form of trauma dumping or deciding to be a dick. They are humans, and they have their own lives and worries. They are also entertainers who typically perform a task while not being typical “trained” entertainers in most cases. Depending on the level of their viewership and moderation team, they might not have a lot of moderators to handle a meltdown. Keep in mind it would be akin to seeing anyone you admire perform in person, and they’d have to keep going after that. They also can be thrown into being untrained social workers. A Twitch chat shouldn’t be your place to excessively unload and ask for serious mental health advice from someone not trained to do it. It would be tone-deaf and classist of me to tell you to find a therapist. Still, Twitch isn’t the outlet to disclose to a streamer about every life tragedy that has occurred to you, even if your entire family and beloved pet turtle passed away in a freak hot balloon accident or something decidedly as heavy but not absurd. They could be having an equally lousy day and grieving — who knows? You can search out channels with a “Mental Health” tag but remember that some people use that with irony. Suppose you absolutely *need* help in the form of Twitch. In that case, you can check out Dr. Alok Kanojia at HealthyGamer GG, an actual psychiatrist who focuses his content on legitimate mental health discourse.
You’re In the Passenger Seat: Do Not “Backseat” (Unless Allowed!)
Do you go to anyone who works a skilled trade or any job and give them unsolicited advice on how to do it? If so, you are a dick, and it’s probably time to start reexamining some things. This term generally applies to streamers that game, but it can happen to anyone streaming content. Since 98% of my watched streamers are playing games, I typically see it in the form of an unruly crowd yelling text at the streamer and telling them how to play a game. They don’t need your help — unless they are asking for it. A tag does exist that indicates the stream allows backseating, and I don’t see it often. You could also unintentionally spoil a storyline of a game’s first playthrough for this streamer and the chat.
Boundaries: We Can’t Stop Here — This Is Parasocial Country!
Most streamers go by an alias for a reason: they need a life and work balance and don’t owe you any information about their personal life beyond what they want to share. Don’t press them for details that you would feel uncomfortable sharing with a total stranger, and picture yourself as an entertainer on top. Twitch and Parasocial Relationships, a perceived friendship with an entertainer that is one-sided and not reciprocal, go hand in hand. No matter how much you support them monetarily, they owe you nothing. If you need a sense of friendship and want to be in a community truly, I suggest subscribing to a streamer with a private Discord where you can make friends with people with the same interests as you. Discord server access is typically a perk of paying for a subscription to a channel. Your favorite streamer might pop in but don’t expect it.
Comments About Appearance: You Are Not The New Judge On Twitch’s Next Top Model
Commenting on a streamer’s appearance in either extreme is weird and unnecessary. If you’re going to Twitch to make fun of someone brave enough to play a game or do anything in front of an audience, congrats, you are Lord McEdgeLord, and I hope you feel proud of yourself for doing nothing constructive. On the other hand, don’t be a thirsty horny freak. I don’t stream, and I find both extremes objectively annoying. I’m not a monster or a prude; some chats have inside jokes, but maybe get a sense of the vibe before you blurt out something unhinged, and if it’s allowed, at least try to be funny. Weird comments about someone looking tired are also unsolicited and unnecessary. Many people know when they are tired because burnout is real, even if it is something you love to do and is generally considered “fun” or “easy” by the general public. I figured that out by being my boss very quickly, except it’s easier for me to get rid of you as a client in my primary industry.
I know a lot of this is painful common sense, but I’ve found that common sense is a really hot commodity sometimes. This is also just a fun little distraction to not only distract me from formatting a piece about its namesake convention while I side-eye a lengthy Microcenter list that includes a green screen and lighting. I’m either upping my unfortunate Zoom meetings production value substantially or making a huge mistake.
