Can You Watch Netflix on Twitch?

You cannot stream Netflix shows or movies on Twitch due to copyright claims. Simply put, if you do not own the content or have permission you cannot share that content on your stream.

So you’re ready to host a Twitch Watch Party with your viewers. You’ve set the date, sent out announcements, and found the movie on Netflix. But pump the brakes there buddy. Unless that content is available through Amazon Prime Video, you may be at risk of getting smacked with a copyright claim. 

In this post, we’ll look at why you can’t watch Netflix on Twitch and some possible alternatives. 

Why Can’t You Watch Netflix on Twitch?

To share content without permission may infringe upon another person’s intellectual property rights, which could result in your content being taken down off Twitch. Multiple infringements could eventually lead to a permanent suspension of your account on Twitch.

And don’t forget the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, A.K.A. every streamer’s favorite acronym, DMCA. If the movie or TV show has any music that falls under the DMCA you could be hit with multiple DMCA takedown notifications. This could also lead down the path to an account ban.

So, what can you stream on Twitch if Netflix is out of the question? Through the new Twitch Watch Party, you and your viewers (who subscribe to Amazon Prime) can watch movies and TV shows available through Amazon Prime Video. This may limit your options, but Amazon does have an ok selection of shows and movies to pick from. You also have full-access to every episode of the modern classic, PSYCH! So, all I need to know is when I can attend your Psych streaming marathon?

Can You Watch YouTube on Twitch?

With YouTube content, your ability to share it on stream is going to vary based on context. Under the fair use doctrine in the law of the United States, individuals are permitted limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Under this doctrine, you could use content in your stream that does not belong to you, as long as it’s used for purposes such as criticism, news reporting, teaching, or research. 

This doesn’t mean go willy nilly with someone else’s content. Only use the clips of content you require. Use common sense when claiming fair use. I’d probably advise against using clips of a Metallica song in your Metallica history lesson stream (Lars’ lawyers are vicious). Whatever you use, just know the purpose and stick to it. 

Conclusion

It’s a strange world of copyright claims and DMCA notifications on Twitch at the moment, but with Twitch View Party and/or clips from YouTube used under fair use, you should be able to keep your channel on the up-and-up and keep copyright holders from sending Twitch after you.