Twitch streamers devise hilarious ways to protest DMCA strikes

Alex Tsiaoussidis

Twitch streamers are having a tough time with all the DMCA takedowns, but some of them have found a bit of humor in the situation by muting their audio in hilarious ways to protest and make a point.

Twitch streamers are still being rocked by relentless DMCA takedowns forcing them to delete content or risk a ban. Even some of the biggest streamers like Felix ‘xQc’ Lengyel and Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys have had to comply.

It’s reached the point where the platform issued an apology and explanation, and even suggested streamers mute games to avoid potential strikes.

However, some streamers decided to take a stand and protest these instructions by obeying them in a ridiculous and funny way.

Pokimane streaming on Twitch
Pokimane was one of many streamers forced to delete years worth of content.

Chainbrain is a partnered streamer who streams gaming and music. He even streams a combination of the two in the form of Ubisoft’s Rocksmith. Unfortunately, that means Twitch’s DMCA crackdown will significantly impact his content.

In his latest stream, he decided to take a stand in the funniest way possible. “I took the advice Twitch gave and muted my Rocksmith game audio,” he said. “Sounds pretty good, I think! You also get a more realistic sweaty metalhead experience!”

JayCaulls is another partnered streamer who followed suit. “So I took Twitch’s advice and muted the game audio,” he said. “No DMCA Strikes for me!” He posted a clip of him listening to the sound of invisible drums and guitar.

“Love these drums,” he said while bobbing his head in silence. “Oh, and that crisp guitar! I can’t wait! Woohoo!”

DeadPirateBrandon took a stand in the same vein. However, he approached it differently. Instead of streaming himself play a rhythm game in silence, he hopped into Resident Evil 2.

“Here’s the future of Twitch,” he said. “A completely clean DMCA version of Resident Evil 2.” The funniest part is that he makes the special effects himself and even narrates the dialogue.

There’s no harm in a peaceful protest, especially when it’s light and humorous. However, these streamers were out to make a point. Twitch’s DMCA crackdown is a crucial issue that has changed the landscape of streaming and culture.

It will be interesting to see what happens next and what streamers can do to adapt to the situation. But until then, they have no choice but to tread carefully to avoid potential strikes and bans.

About The Author

Alex is a former Dexerto writer based in Australia. He finished a law degree but realized it wasn't the career for him and decided to follow his dream of becoming a writer. Since then, he completed a graduate diploma and a master's degree in writing. Now he writes about his other passion; esports and gaming.