Twitch's "hot tub meta" is pretty much all streamers and viewers can talk about at the moment. The controversial new trend has split the online community in two.
Some believe that the meta, which basically involves streamers (usually women) sitting in hot tubs and chatting about this and that, is a perfectly fine extension of the popular streaming platform for those that want it. Others have lashed out at it, arguing that this isn't what Twitch is for and that it flies in the face of the platform's policies on sexual content. The crux of the debate is essentially centered on whether or not there is anything inherently sexual in a woman sat in a hot tub.
Twitch's head of creator development Marcus "djWHEAT" Graham recently waded into the fray and made the streaming platform's stance on the meta clear. In a recent "Just Chatting" stream, he explained that Twitch is keeping a "close eye" on the hot tub streams to make sure that nothing that happens there goes against the company's policies.
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As it stands, Graham and Twitch believe that women in bathing suits is perfectly acceptable as far as Twitch guidelines go. Having said that, it seems the company will take action if they believe anything untoward happens during a hot tub stream.
"We have been watching closely," Graham explained. "Our nudity and attire policy does allow bathing suites in an appropriate context, and hot tubs do fall under that criteria.
"What has not changed is the sexually suggestive and explicit content is not allowed under the guidelines, under the ToS, and Twitch will take action when that is reported to us."
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For now, it seems that the hot tub meta will continue on for as long as there are people willing to sit and watch such streams. It may be time to accept that they'll remain a part of Twitch for the foreseeable future.
Featured Image Credit: Twitch/xoAerial/Amouranth
