Is the Twitch application safe for your children?
There are many Internet trends these days, but live streaming is one such trend that seems to baffle the parents. It is when people do a live broadcast of themselves on the Internet. Things become more complex when children become obsessed with these videos, be it watching or recording. These videos can be anything from someone playing a game to someone talking. There are around 15 million visitors and 2 million live broadcasts that happen at no particular time on Twitch. It is almost like the undisputed champion of live streaming platforms.
For those who find the topic intriguing, live streams have a lot of things to offer. Mainly, children love it because it provides in-the-moment action. Furthermore, live streams also provide children the potential to interact with YouTubers and celebrities who conduct a Livestream. They can contact by commenting, and people conducting the Livestream can read the comments. So, is this platform fit for kids to use?
What is Twitch?
It is a live streaming platform that gamers use mostly. It is free to view the streams, but you will be getting many more benefits that come with viewing the streams. For instance, you can broadcast your channel by signing up for a free account. Mostly gaming streams of trendy games dominate Twitch, but there are even other streams going on. You can follow and watch the live streams of non-gaming channels. There are many art shows, cooking shows, and podcasts that you can watch on Twitch.
Is the Twitch platform safe for kids to use?
Twitch can be risky for children, just like all other platforms, even the live streaming ones. The platform indeed has moderators for ensuring the rules are being followed. It also has numerous rules for sexual and other explicit content. But, Twitch does not offer filters or age barriers for a specific category of videos or games, for instance, 18+ games like the Grand Theft Auto series.
Furthermore, broadcasters on Twitch also ask for donations and paid subscriptions. Some of them even cross the limits by wearing revealing clothes and offering exclusive content if they donate or get a paid subscription. These are very wrong ways to encourage users to send them money. Search filters for specific categories will block mature content. But, we cannot deny that the broadcasters are accountable for creating such content that creates inconsistency.
What is the safe age for children to use Twitch?
Twitch requires that the children who access the platform must be above the age of thirteen. However, we recommend that the age of the users for accessing Twitch must be more than fifteen for the safety of children. Children must also ensure safety due to the unpredictable nature of the Twitch platform. There is live streaming and open chatting on Twitch, and there is also easy access to explicit content.
Can children chat with strangers on Twitch?
Along all the streams, Twitch offers its users the features to chat with people. In some streams, chats are restricted to only certain users, for instance, the followers and subscribers of a particular broadcaster. But, even when you cannot participate in the chats, you can still see what others post. The feed is challenging to understand for newcomers because it has a lot of memes and emojis. Twitch users use a lot of memes and emoticons for communication. You can hide chats, but you cannot turn them off. Users can also send direct messages to other users on Twitch, although you can limit who can reach out to you and who cannot.
Is Twitch only a gaming platform?
Although it is predominantly used for gaming, it covers almost every topic under the sun. Some non-gaming categories are sports, dance, music, vlogging, and many more. Some broadcasters even have one channel or more that covers more than one topic. Most of the streamers use multiple platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Discord, and YouTube for self-promotion. It is also done because children will get access to different content by following a streamer on all platforms.
What are the ways to block inappropriate things on Twitch?
Twitch is a platform that does not offer parental control or any other additional methods to block explicit streams. Users who log in can set chat filters for blocking discriminative and sexually explicit language. They can also use it to stay away from hostility and profanity. However, there is no complete guarantee because these settings are not foolproof.
Is it possible to limit children's Twitch usage?
No, there is no particular option in Twitch to set a time limit on someone's usage of the platform. But, you can use a parental control tool like Avosmart to keep a watch on what your children are doing on Twitch. Similarly, you can also limit their usage and block the channels that seem to be inappropriate.
Is Twitch a paid app?
No. The platform is free to use, although it has ads and costs associated with it. There are multiple ways users can spend money on Twitch. Some of them are donations, bits, and subscriptions. Bits is Twitch's in-platform currency. Users can use it to cheer and support their favorite streamer by chatting. Bits are sold in bundles. Streamers make one cent per bit. Streamers can also accept direct donations with the help of buttons on their page.