Twitch hosts millions of active daily users, creating a vibrant community with different viewing habits, content and more. The ‘mature content setting’ is a specific setting streamers can enable to indicate their content is intended for mature audiences. However, this setting doesn’t have its own guidelines, so it can be challenging to know when to use it.
You should enable Twitch’s mature content setting if your stream contains adult themes, explicit language or if the games you play contain graphic violence. Similarly, if you speak on topics such as religion, for example, enabling it will help you garner a like-minded adult audience.
That said, Twitch isn’t on the lookout for channels that need to enable the setting when they probably should. The mature content setting is all about creating a safe and comfortable space and communicating the nature of your content for viewers to make informed decisions about whether they should start watching.
But what about growth?
There have been talks, specifically on social media platforms like Reddit, that enabling this setting can impact your growth. As someone that has previously enabled it on their channel, I’ll take a deep dive into what the setting does, whether enabling it is right for you and answer whether or not it will impact the growth of your channel.
Need to know the answers quickly before your next stream? Check out the FAQ section at the end of the post.
Twitch’s Policies and Terms of Service on Mature Content
Let’s start with the boring stuff.
Terms of Service (TOS) are a drag to talk about but arguably the most critical streaming component to understand. Failing to adhere to or actively going against them can be a quick shortcut to the closure of your Twitch Channel and streaming career.
Twitch’s community guidelines are clear and contain various breakdowns of adult content related to active streaming, emotes, IRL streaming and more.
A snippet from this reads:
“Conversations about sex or nudity that are intended to be educational and otherwise comply with our policies should be marked as Mature Content via the respective channel’s settings.”
Twitch Community Guideline (no date) Twitch Safety Center. Available at: https://safety.twitch.tv/s/article/Community-Guidelines?language=en_US.
This indicates that Twitch is aware of the variety on its platform and will not penalise channels that constructively talk about these topics so long as they accurately label the content for viewers.
Understanding these policies also helps build a respectful and considerate community, something that every streamer wants. If you’re curious about how this pertains to mature themes in games or adult content in games, check out my previous post on Can you lose affiliate status on Twitch, where I go over various TOS segments in detail.
What Does Twitch’s Mature Content Setting Do?
Users talking about the mature content setting may have led you to believe that it activates a series of flashing STOP signs on your viewer’s screen, asking them to identify themselves to view your content.
At least, that’s what social media makes it sound like.
In reality, users who enter your stream for the first time while enabled will encounter the above warning. A singular screen will overlay on top of your content and ask the viewer if they’re sure they wish to continue.
This helps prevent users from viewing mature content, or content they may be too young to watch, immediately.
Unfortunately, that’s the extent of it.
In reality, anyone can click yes regardless, and it acts as a “hey, are you sure?” question rather than a real barrier.
Is Twitch’s Mature Content Setting Mandatory?
Nope.
Interestingly, while Twitch’s TOS is extensive, there is no particular section to elaborate on when you should use it if you need to etc. You can consider it an optional setting should you wish to use it based on the demographic you stream to.
I recommend using it if your channel revolves around adult themes, games or topics, as it is clear that you are streaming with that intention.
For those that may swear here and there or bring up an adult theme for 10 minutes in your stream, I wouldn’t worry too much.
Consider the community you want to grow and make an informed decision.
Does Enabling Mature Content Impact Channel Growth?
The meat and potatoes of the topic – pros, cons and growth.
Marking your stream as mature can significantly impact your channel and its growth…
At least, in theory.
Whether positive or negative will depend on the stream you’re trying to create.
On the positive, marking your stream as mature on Twitch can attract an audience that appreciates more adult themes, language and discussions, which can lead to you building a community of like-minded users that don’t shy away from topics you’re passionate about.
Also, generally speaking, adult users are more well-behaved on the platform, which can lead to some genuine friendships or long-term viewers looking to engage. They may also appreciate the transparency when they receive the warning.
The negative, of course, is that the warning can create a barrier between your stream and users. I would hazard a guess that the percentage of people who hit the screen and genuinely think about whether they want to continue is less than 2%, but you never know.
The point is there IS a possibility that users will click away from your stream when they see the warning.
Similarly, Twitch may filter out your stream from different areas of the website where they don’t want to show mature content. Although, unless you’re a medium to big streamer, I wouldn’t worry about this, as Twitch’s discoverability has never been great.
That said, an argument favouring the positives exists if you tread over into that mature territory.
Why Would You Want to Enable Twitch’s mature content setting?
If, at face value, you’d be dividing your stream viewership in half by enabling the mature setting, why would you enable the setting at all?
The reasons go deeper than what we’ve touched on already, and the cornerstone of these reasons comes down to authenticity.
Cultivating your perfect streaming community.
One of the most significant impacts enabling the setting had for me was the reduction in troublesome viewers, viewers that would come in, say something weird, awkward or insulting to another member, and then leave.
Depending on your goals, this can be a great thing, as it was for me.
My goal was to cultivate a community that supports one another and engages with me regardless of the topics we talk about. Altering this setting had, at least to me, a tangible impact on the quality of conversations I had with my viewers.
Preparing your Twitch Channel for Partnership
If your sights are set on Twitch Partnership, enabling the setting if your content is mature may help you in the long run. Streamers rarely get a partnership on their first application; part of that is due to Twitch’s internal process to gauge whether you, your content and your stream positively represent the platform and its values.
Twitch may even go out of its way to analyse your social channels and how you conduct yourself in places like your discord community.
Thus, staying authentic is vital, and if they see that you’ve accurately labelled your stream as mature for X amount of time – further protecting their users – that can only be a net positive on your application.
Sponsorship opportunities
Many streamers can stay full-time thanks to various sponsorship deals they have in place. Sponsorships can range from family-friendly to specific mature audiences and niche demographics.
Having your stream identifiable as mature will help sponsors better understand your audience and whether they would be a good fit for their product. Doing so can also prevent misaligned sponsors from reaching out to you. While you won’t benefit from broader companies looking to sell their products to everyone, you can benefit from specifically focused sponsors for which you’re a perfect fit.
Manscape comes to mind, along with other men-specific brands – although this could also apply to women.
How to Enable/Disable Twitch’s Mature Content Setting
One of the great things about Twitch’s mature content setting is that it’s toggle-able, meaning there’s no commitment to sticking with the pre-warning.
Having it toggle-able also gives streamers greater flexibility with labelling their content. For example, if you’re a primarily family-friendly streamer, you’ll likely keep the setting off for most of the time; however, if a new game comes out that may be more mature, you can toggle the setting to let your viewers know.
I’ve also seen this used on podcast-style content, where the streamer will turn the setting on/off depending on their guest, who they are, what they do, and whether they swear or not, which helps protect any new viewers from different communities.
Getting to the setting is simple and only requires a few clicks from your creator dashboard:
Step 1: Access your creator dashboard.
Step 2: Select ‘settings’, click ‘stream’ and toggle the mature content setting.
Done; I told you it was simple!
A Quick Guide on Managing Mature Content on Your Stream
If you’re actively streaming on Twitch, check the below list and try to address these asap to help improve your viewer experience and channel safety regarding mature content.
- Channel Settings: Access your channel settings from your dashboard. Here, you can turn the mature content setting on or off.
- Moderation Tools: Twitch provides various moderation tools to help you manage your chat. This includes AutoMod, which can automatically filter out inappropriate messages, and Mod View, which provides your moderators with a suite of tools to manage your chat.
- Banned Words List: You can create a list of banned words in your channel settings. Any messages containing these words will be automatically blocked.
- Chat Rules: Establish clear chat rules and display them prominently on your channel. This can help set expectations for your viewers and discourage inappropriate behaviour.
- Moderators: Appoint trusted community members as moderators. They can help enforce your chat rules and manage any inappropriate behaviour.
For more detailed information on managing your Twitch stream, check out my guide on how to handle toxicity on Twitch.
How to Handle Mature Content as a Viewer
As a viewer, you also have a role in managing mature content on Twitch. Twitch provides several tools and settings to help viewers control what they see.
If you come across a stream that you believe should be marked as mature but isn’t, you can report it to Twitch, although don’t blame me if you get called a snitch. In all seriousness, Twitch takes these reports seriously and will review the content to determine if it violates their guidelines, but only do this if the content you are sure the content needs the mature warning.
You can also choose to filter out mature content from your browsing experience. Go to your account settings and toggle the “Exclude mature content” option to do this. This will remove streams marked as mature from your browse and discovery pages.
Remember, managing mature content is a shared responsibility. As a viewer, you can help Twitch create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.
Becoming the Best Streamer You Can Be
Mature content on Twitch can seem like a complex topic, but it can be boiled down to an individual acknowledgement of whether or not you handle mature topics. Mature topics may not always be as black and white, but you can quickly tell whether someone is streaming something mature in most cases.
Consider your end goals for streaming, how new viewers perceive you and your channel, and the content you want to show.
Then flick the mature content switch and remember, you can always change it back in the future if you change your mind.
For more resources on streaming, check out my other posts or my streaming handouts page, where new content will be added frequently.
FAQ
What Does “Mature Content” Mean on Twitch?
Mature content on Twitch refers to content that may not be suitable for all audiences. This can include explicit language, adult humour, violent content, or anything considered disturbing or inappropriate for younger viewers.
Can I Get Banned for Not Marking My Stream as Mature?
It is difficult to make a concrete yes or no statement to this as it depends entirely on how mature the content you were showing was. If you’re banned for this, it is likely due to a TOS breach. However, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and mark your stream if you think you need to.
Can Viewers Under 18 Watch Mature Content?
Yes, but they will see a warning before accessing the stream. The notification informs them that the stream they’re about to watch contains mature content.
Can I Filter Out Mature Content?
Yes, you can filter out mature content in your account settings. This will remove streams marked as mature from your browse and discovery pages.
Does Enabling This Setting Impact My Twitch Channel Growth?
It is unlikely that enabling the mature content setting will be detrimental to your channel growth. While the setting does stop users immediately from entering the stream, it doesn’t act as a significant enough barrier to prevent watching. If you’re concerned about growth, I recommend enabling the setting and then watching your channel metrics to see if you notice any significant impact. You can always toggle it off should it have a negative effect.
