Twitch streamer banned for “sexually suggestive” content while reading a book

Jacob Hale
twitch streamer abelinasabrina with twitch logo in corner

A Twitch streamer was left baffled after Twitch banned her for “sexually suggestive conduct” while reading an ‘alien Sci-Fi romance’ book.

Throughout May 2022, a number of female Twitch streamers were banned for issues related to “sexually suggestive” content or inappropriate attire, including top names like Corinna Kopf.

There is a belief that Twitch is cutting down on certain types of content that could be deemed suggestive, and is being more strict over what does and doesn’t break the Terms of Service on the platform.

This streamer and YouTuber, Abelina Sabrina, was a bit shocked, however, when she was banned for reading a romance book.

abelinasabrina selfie smiling
Sabrina likes reading romance books on stream, but it’s landed her in hot water now.

“I have been suspended from Twitch for reading,” said AbelinaSabrina in a tweet posted on May 19, alongside a screenshot of the ban email saying it was on account of “sexually suggestive conduct.”

In a follow-up tweet, she said: “We genuinely don’t even read these books in a sexual way, Ice Planet Barbarians is written to be outrageous and silly. It’s all for comedy and laughs.”

Not missing a beat, Sabrina started streaming her reading of the book on YouTube instead, as tweets started pouring in demanding Twitch rescind their suspension.

Despite the confusion, Twitch’s community guidelines on sexual content do specify that “sharing erotica” is against the rules, and includes “detailed descriptions” of such content.

While the suspension is only a temporary one, the email does warn it can become permanent for repeat offenses — which could push Sabrina over to YouTube or another competitor permanently.

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About The Author

Jacob is Dexerto’s UK Editor and Call of Duty esports specialist. With a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Creative Writing, he previously worked as an Editor at Ginx TV. Jacob was nominated for Journalist of the Year at the 2023 Esports Awards. Contact: jacob.hale@dexerto.com.