Summary
Twitchstreamer Tubbo has been banned following a DMCA strike, after livestreaming the Formula 1 British Grand Prix. A number of big nameTwitchstreamers have been hit with channel bans in recent weeks, sparking discussions over the account suspension system on the major streaming service.
Tubbo has established himself as a prominent streamer, garnering over five million Twitch followers prior to his ban by drawing in fans to watch him playMinecraftand broadcast his daily life. However, the complexDMCA takedown policy on Twitchhas hit the streamer hard, leaving him with a suspended account.
Just two hours after starting up a livestream of the F1 British Grand Prix, Tubbo’sTwitchchannel went down. Shortly after, he confirmed that he had received a DMCA notice, though he claimed that he had received permission from Formula 1 to stream the race, leading to confusion for the streamer and his audience. Tubbo has further stated that “the ban has no duration,” meaning it is unknown how long his channel will be down for. If Tubbo did have an agreement with F1 to broadcast the race via his Twitch channel, then he will be able to file a counterclaim against the DMCA takedown in the hopes of restoring his account. However, it remains unknown if Tubbo has filed such a claim and if it will be approved by Twitch. Tubbo ranks among themost-watched Twitch streamers, leaving many hoping for a quick restoration of his channel.
Twitch Has Banned Tubbo
Tubbo is just one of many top Twitch streamers to be banned recently, though others have seen their channels taken down for more serious infractions. Nickmercs saw his Twitch account banned following his use of a transphobic slur during a stream, while Stableronaldo received a ban for reckless driving in a live clip. The most widely talked about channel shutdown has been theTwitch ban of Dr Disrespect, with fresh allegations regarding the cause of his 2020 ban spurring on major conversations on the necessity of both temporary and permanent bans.
As spectators continue to discuss a need to better balance the Twitch ban system based on the severity of violations, many streamers are left to choose between thevariety of livestreaming platforms. While some are forced to move elsewhere after permanent bans, others are merely looking to keep their communities engaged while less severe infractions get sorted out. Whether Tubbo will get hisTwitchchannel unbanned remains to be seen, but many of his community members and fellow streamers are keeping a close eye on the unexpected situation.
