In the wake of public outcry, Twitch, one of the most popular live-streaming platforms, has apologized for blocking new user sign-ups from Israel and the Palestinian territories since October 7, 2023.

The company took these measures after the attack of October 7, allegedly as part of an effort to restrict the uploading of graphic content and to ensure user safety.

On X, the Twitch Support issued a clarification on the fact that disabling the email verification for accounts linked with the IP addresses in such regions was a step taken toward handling the short-term after-effects of the violence.
The company recognized that, through this step, the creation of accounts for individuals from Israel and Gaza was not accessible for an extended time.

According to a spokesperson for the company, it was temporarily suspended but is now enabled again after sitting idle until recently.

It is only this week when users of both regions can begin creating new accounts and even verify via email.

In fact, some users also reported not being able to use their mobile phone as a form of verification in signing up.

Rod Breslau, an analyst for gaming and internet cultures, felt that this policy looked like more of the company unwilling to cope up with graphical content than really a punitive measure on viewers in such regions.
A very strong layoff decision, by Twitch in these earlier days of this year affected close to 35 percent of its total personnel might not have also strengthened enough content moderation.

The situation further escalated when Twitch was criticized for suspending several Arab and Middle Eastern streamers amid accusations from a prominent Jewish content creator and the Anti-Defamation League about antisemitism on the platform.

This string of events has increased the political rhetoric surrounding Twitch, mirroring the wider tensions concerning the ongoing conflict.

Twitch has also had a rather complex history as far as violent content moderation is concerned. At certain points in the past, the site has been blamed for not doing enough about the live streaming of mass shootings such as the Christchurch mosques in New Zealand.

That's taking place as Hamas fighters record their activities on October 7 by body cameras that have thus far gone viral across the internet. Under such circumstances, Twitch is apparently taking prudent measures by controlling sign-ups even though it refutes completely blocking sign-ups from a particular region.

After public outcry and media coverage, Twitch confirmed the oversight and expressed regret for the confusion caused.

Acknowledgment of the error by Twitch shows the difficulties that tech companies face in balancing user safety with accessibility, especially during times of crisis.

The company's commitment to rectifying the situation and ensuring that all affected users can sign up with email verification reflects an ongoing effort to improve its policies and responsiveness to user needs.

As the situation continues to unfold, Twitch's response and actions will be under the microscope of both the user community and the general public at large, since these are the safety and content moderation and community dynamics conversations that are at the heart of what the platform does.