Twitch now lets you filter streams with sexual, violent, and alcohol

Twitch now lets you filter out livestreams that have been labelled as including mature themes, including sexual, violent, and profane content. This means no more sifting through family-unfriendly content looking for a wholesome stream of someone drinking mayo in Stardew Valley.

Announced in a blog post on Tuesday, Twitch's new filter settings allow users to opt out of seeing broadcasts which have been labelled according to the streaming platform's Content Classification Guidelines. Introduced last year, these guidelines require creators to apply appropriate labels to their livestreams if they include sexual themes, graphic depictions of violence, intoxication or drug use, gambling, extreme profanity, or if they are streaming mature-rated games.

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Twitch's classification system previously only provided viewers with more information about streams, so they could make more informed decisions about what to watch. Today's update now allows users to hide entire content classification categories altogether, enabling them to customise the type of broadcasts they'd like to see suggested. Or more specifically, what they wouldn't like to see.

"We believe Twitch should be a welcoming place for everyone, and recognize that content enjoyed by some may not be a good fit for others," Twitch's head of community product Jeremy Forrester wrote. "Our goal with these changes is to make it easier for you to have a Twitch experience that’s right for you and to choose the communities that you want to be a part of."

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Twitch's new content classification filters can be found under Content Display Preferences in your Profile settings. Once turned on, the filters will be applied to all your recommendations and search results, as well as the streams that show up when you're just browsing. You'll still be able to see streams from creators you follow though, no matter what they're labelled with, as well as view all videos when you visit a channel page directly.

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You can mix and match filter categories too, in case you're fine with sexual themes but don't want to see people getting drunk. Twitch will remember your preferred filter settings, so you can just set and forget them.

Twitch will automatically apply its content classification filters when a logged in user is under 18 as well. Almost all of Twitch's new filters will be active by default, with the exception of those for mature-rated games and significant profanity or vulgarity.

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Curious youths won't be able to get around this just by logging out either. Twitch's gambling and sexual content filters will be active for anyone who isn't signed in, and can't be turned off. You'll just have to register for a Twitch account if you want to keep browsing the Pools, Hot Tubs, and Beaches livestreams. Viewers who are logged out will still be able to use Twitch's other content classification filters, but will only be able to toggle them all on and off together in a batch.

Twitch also announced that it will blur thumbnails for content which features sexual themes. While this setting will be on by default, logged in users can toggle it off if they'd prefer their racy imagery upfront. Further, thumbnails from channels you're following won't be blurred even if the stream has been flagged as sexual.

While a stream of someone playing a G-rated video game may appear innocuous at first glance, it doesn't necessarily guarantee the broadcast itself will be family friendly. Twitch's content classification filters should make it a little easier to choose a stream to watch without accidentally getting blindsided by someone's butt.