Twitch bans words like ‘simp’ and ‘virgin’ in surprise policy update

Twitch is now banning users who write words like “simp,” “virgin,” and “incel” in chat, following new updates to the Amazon-owned platform’s terms of service, and warned they won’t hesitate to “take action” against repeat offenders.

The new policy, first shared on Twitter by Rod “Slasher” Breslau, is set to go into effect across the website on January 22. Once it has been officially enacted, any Twitch user who uses the terms “negatively” will face consequences, and possible permanent bans.

“Using terms like simp, incel, or virgin as an insult to negatively refer to another person’s sexual activity is not allowed under this new policy,” Sara Clemens, Twitch’s COO, explained during the platform’s “Town Hall” livestream.

“In addition to the policy change, we’re also proactively denying emotes that include the term ‘simp,’ and we will keep doing that [into 2021].”

While the ban on terms like “simp” and “incel” has taken the internet by storm on Dec. 16, there’s also a number of other words now banned in Twitch’s updated harassment policy.

Using any of these “sexually-focused terms” ⁠— including ‘whore’ and ‘virgin,’ two examples given by Twitch ⁠— in a repeated manner that “negatively targets” other users will result in a permanent ban from the Amazon-owned platform.

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“Making derogatory statements about another person’s perceived sexual practices or morality” will also be a bannable offense once the policy begins in 2021.

Twitch “simp” ban goes down like lead balloon

Needless to say, Twitch’s decision to target these words specifically ⁠— especially while the controversial DMCA saga is still not resolved ⁠— has gone down like a lead balloon with much of the streaming community across Twitch and Twitter.

The move has been dubbed by some “easily the most ridiculous thing ever,” while many popular Twitch streamers have come out in direct opposition to the change.

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“Can’t imagine gamin’ with the boys and not roasting the shit out of em,” NICKMERCS joked, which earned him a reply of “virgin” from TimtheTatman. Courage agreed, however, adding they “may as well start gaming while muted.”

Neeko added she “needs to find a new word” to say on stream, and offered up “kings” as a replacement for ‘simps,’ and “manbaby” instead of ‘incel.’

Twitch has not yet confirmed how they will enforce the ban around “simp” and other now-banned words. Dexerto suspects it may fall to stream moderators, but that has not yet been confirmed by anyone from the Amazon-owned platform.

The new Twitch policy is set to begin at 10am PT on January 22, 2021.