Can You Swear on Twitch?

Can You Curse on Twitch?

According to Twitch’s guidelines, you are allowed to swear while you broadcast, but if you cuss a lot, you should mark your content as mature. Many teenagers (and even younger children) watch content on Twitch, and this is the platform’s way of trying to protect them. Many adults also prefer to watch family-safe streams either because they don’t like foul language or they have children in the same room. 

How to Mark Your Content as Mature on Twitch

Here is how you can mark your content as mature on Twitch:

1. Step 1

   Click on your avatar in the top right-hand corner of your screen, then select settings from the drop-down menu. 

2. Step 2

   Select the “Channel and Videos” tab. 

3. Step 3

   Locate the “Mature Content” box on the page and toggle it to the on position.  

Twitch Swearing Rules – How Much is Too Much?

Defining when you have to mark your content as mature due to swearing is a bit of a grey area. You should base your decision based both how often you curse and what swear works you use.

1. How Often Do You Cuss on Twitch?

   There are two extremes when it comes to the swearing spectrum – those who seemingly can’t say a sentence without expletives and those who never cuss. If you cuss or use rude language constantly, you will want to mark your stream as mature. On the other hand, if you rarely use bad language or just use it in a stressful context, many people understand that and won’t expect you to have your account set to mature. 

2. What Curse Words Do You Use on Stream?

   Some words (such as the F-bomb or the C-word) are considered stronger curse words than others. Even if you use these less frequently, you will want to mark your stream as mature. There are many cultures in the world and several of them use Twitch. Even if a word is culturally appropriate to your area, you need to be aware of its implications throughout the world. 

Should You Swear on Stream?

Even though you are allowed to swear on stream, there may be a reason to limit the amount of cussing that you broadcast as it can limit some of your potential audience and monetization. Here’s how:

• Discriminatory Speech

  If you frequently use words in anger or with a sexist, homophobic, or racist meaning, many members of your audience will likely unfollow and leave your channel. You could also potentially get reported and banned.

• Younger Audience

  Rude language will limit a younger audience, which is the primary user base of Twitch and other streaming platforms. Cussing may also limit the amount of time someone will watch you when they have small children or sensitive spouses in the same room with them. 

• Sponsors

  Do to your overall influence or a company’s code, some sponsors may not want to work with you or your brand if you cuss incessantly. 

Tips On How to Swear Less Frequently on Stream

If you decide you don’t want to swear as much on your broadcasts, try one of the following methods:

• Limit Your Daily Cussing

  when you are so used to swearing in your daily life, it can be difficult to use it less in any situation. If you don’t want to use foul language on stream, practice using it less overall in your daily life. 

• Replace Swear Words With Different Words

  For example, you could replace “damn” with “darn” or “fuck” to “fudge.” While most people will know what you meant by those words, many parents won’t object to their children watching a stream with mild language. 

• View Previous Broadcasts

  If you aren’t sure if you swear a lot, watch your previous streams and count the number of times you use rude words over a period of time. As you practice cursing less, you should see a reduced number over time. 

• Learn How to Manage Your Emotions

  Many people use swearing as a way to release frustration or anger. While cussing can be effective, if your end goal is to stop swearing, you will need to find other ways to release those emotions. Most of the time you can do this through self-care, but in the event that you find that you need professional counseling, we urge you to seek therapy. 

• Use a Chat Command

  Create a Twitch chat command that will count the number of times you swear on your stream. Your mods and viewers can use it when you cuss and it will be a constant reminder for you to watch your tongue (and create interaction from them). 

Conclusion

While most people don’t mind a little cussing on stream, if you are worried about the impact you will have as a whole, there is nothing wrong with taking action to limit your language.