Twitch Bans Using the Word 'Zionist' to 'Attack or Demean' After Lawmaker Calls for Probe of Top Political Streamer

Twitch updated its policy to prohibit the use of the term "Zionist" in a harmful or demeaning manner after concerns over hate speech on the platform.

The new update comes after Twitch was met with backlash over incidents of antisemitism, especially in regards to account issues for users in Israel and Palestine.

Twitch has since revised its rules to address how certain terms, like "Zionist" are used in harmful ways. In a blog post released November 15, the platform clarified that the term was not inherently banned, but instead it was prohibited as an attack or to demean individuals based on background or religious beliefs.

"As part of our Hateful Conduct policy, we prohibit the use of terms that may not be harmful or abusive in isolation, but can be used as a slur or to denigrate others in certain contexts. In line with that approach, starting today, using the term 'Zionist' to attack or demean another individual or group of people on the basis of their background or religious belief is against our rules. We recognize that 'Zionist' and 'Zionism' also refer to a political movement," the company said in a statement.

Twitch will likely continue monitoring the platform for the term, ensuring its enforcement of the updated Hateful Conduct policy.

"We want to make sure that our Hateful Conduct policy continues to be flexible and cover terms that may be used to cause harm to others. We'll continue to evaluate our policies to ensure that they're protecting our community effectively," Twitch wrote.