The news broke on Monday that Twitch suspended streamer Quqco for three days for what the site called “sexually suggestive content.”
However, the alleged content was Quqco cosplaying Chun-Li, the popular character from the video game Street Fighter. According to the Twitch streamer, she even did everything she could to make sure that the costume was safe for the network.
Quqco reacts to Twitch suspension
I just got banned again for wearing a Chun Li cosplay. I am fully covered. I don’t understand @TwitchSupport @twitch how is this sexually suggestive content? pic.twitter.com/qP1WoBbZL3
— quqco (@quqco) September 15, 2019
According to Quqco, she even bought a size larger than she normally wears to make sure there was no problem. This is because Chun-Li has a slit up to her waste in her dress.
“The slit of this dress is cut lower than some runner shorts I own,” Quqco told Kotaku.
Quqco then said that she is sure that the suspension was due to “a group of trolls” who have targeted her as “a thot.” This has led to what Quqco has referred to as targeted bullying and abuse from users on the platform.
She also said that Twitch refuses to do anything to protect women like herself from this abuse. Instead, she said that Twitch punishes those being abused and ignores the abusers.
“How is it OK for women to have to take this abuse because a bunch of trolls want to mass report? How is OK for trolls to continuously come at us and we can’t do anything but TAKE the beating? Get enough mass reports and we automatically must be banned.”
How is it OK for women to have to take this abuse because a bunch of trolls want to mass report? How is OK for trolls to continuously come at us and we can't do anything but TAKE the beating? Get enough mass reports and we automatically must be banned. (3/3) @TwitchSupport
— quqco (@quqco) September 14, 2019
Twitch terms of service
The biggest problem is that Twitch bases their suspensions on people sending in mass reports of abuse of the platform.
Kotaku actually found one user, whose comment has since been deleted, that said: “Lmao saw her streaming again today and instantly reported the thot.”
The idea is that Quqco was “brigaded,” according to the site. This refers to a group of people who constantly trawl through the directories on Twitch and report any woman they feel is in violation of Twitch terms of service.
Those terms of service include:
- Behavior and commentary
- Reaction to content, such as chat messages from the broadcaster, moderators, and what chat messages they permit in their community
- Attire and environment, such as location and background music, props, etc.
- Camera framing, angle, and focus
- Stream attributes, such as title, intros/outros, custom thumbnail, and other metadata
- Profile and channel content, such as banners, profile image, emotes, and panels
The problem is that Twitch also leaves room open for judgment calls and says that a streamer can wear something on the beach but that if they wore it on a cooking show, it would be inappropriate.
Since the original video by Quqco is not available to see, there is no telling what was or was not seen in her Chun-Li cosplay on Twitch.
“I am sure there are other girls who are facing the same difficulty as me,” Quqco said. “The problem is that there are so many trolls and ill-tended people who will band together to report a streamer.”