Twitch Implements Controversial New Policy Changes

The more I look at what is happening with Twitch the more I'm convinced that Google is not buying Twitch. If Google was buying Twitch, they wouldn't do things like "expiring video" where nothing else the way they operate in warehouse the more data they hold the more cost effective they operate and the way flagging works on Youtube is their preferred method because buries the problem and hides it from both sides.

On the other hand, if the Twitch board believes they can go it alone then the things they are doing with these two major changes are really cost cutting measures to lower their risk and operating costs to make them a more viable Internet business that can stay in competition with Google and Youtube.

@alucitary said:

@patrickklepek From their AMA. Yep this is pretty much a joke to them.

What the fuck? Who put this idiot in charge?

It basically looks like everyone is jumping over to Azubu if this all takes hold.

The worst part is that I emailed them asking to be notified when the exporter was back up and running like they told me to and they didn't even do that.

@darkstalker

Most of your posts are saying it makes sense because we're making money off of the streams with unlicensed music, but I never made any money! I actually paid money to use the service. Are you saying these new policies should only apply to partners because they're the ones making the money?

@eccentrix: kinda. I think once you start making money while using someone else's work that's when fair use no longer applies

someone who is just doing it for fun and not trying monetize when say, playing a song in the background is more of a gray area. I don't stream so maybe ads are on all streams no matter what so twitch is monetizing even when your not.

I don't blame twitch for trying to avoid lawsuit by huge companies that are hard to fight. If you think it's wrong blame outdated copyright law not twitch.

I normally wouldn't be a fan but maybe this will actually make things on many twitch streams more interesting. 90% of twitch streams are just people playing the game with their own music playing over it so they don't have to be actually entertaining. Just looking on the bright side :)

Pretty much. Some companies recover and reverse course, but most end up like Digg and Myspace.

@onlykris said:

@alucitary said:

@patrickklepek From their AMA. Yep this is pretty much a joke to them.

What the fuck? Who put this idiot in charge?

Prime's referencing something.

In twitch's defence, if there's a deal going on in the background to safeguard it's future, you'd do whatever the prospective parent company would ask unless you had some major objections. And terms of service are subject to change.

That's awfully reductive. If you wind up in bed with Google, you're pretty secure. That's what this is ultimately about. Make a deal to make sure the service is still there for its users. This change of service has the potential to be a major inconvenience but either the service will tweak itself around it or its users will.

@shindig

In twitch's defence, if there's a deal going on in the background to safeguard it's future, you'd do whatever the prospective parent company would ask unless you had some major objections. And terms of service are subject to change.

Twitch can do what they like, they're a private company, and if they're taking Google money, no surprises. However, if the terms become such that users feel compelled to leave, that's an issue. I imagine Hitbox and Ustream are having parties now, expecting quite a bit more content to go their way.

That's awfully reductive. If you wind up in bed with Google, you're pretty secure. That's what this is ultimately about. Make a deal to make sure the service is still there for its users. This change of service has the potential to be a major inconvenience but either the service will tweak itself around it or its users will.

Well, I'm sure the higher-ups will get their money from the sale, but time will tell whether the lower-level employees will be able to sustain employment if major players in the streaming market head to competitors. Game streaming sites like Twitch will live and die by the big personalities they have on their stream. While not entirely likely, Twitch losing events like EVO over this could be a huge concern, and they've almost certainly lost the speedrun and LP community. The only reason we haven't seen YouTube have much issue is that DailyMotion refuses to get its shit together, and most other VOD sites (Revision3, Blip, et al) are focused on established personalities and vetted content. That may well also be Twitch's endgame - remove the fly-by-nighters and amateurs clogging the bandwidth and only having a few very high-profile groups streaming - but if they plan to continue being for more than a few people, then having Youtube's broken ContentID system and removing long-term archiving isn't very inviting.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, fuck Google.

It could be that Google wants those videos on Youtube instead. Maybe because they want to maintain Youtubes complete monopolistic dominance over digital video distribution or maybe because they want to improve Youtubes Content ID as well as this "Magical Mystery Tour Scrub" Twitch copyright automation.

The way I look at it is if Twitch doesn't get bought by Google they might as well have. They already incorporated all of the horribleness that comes with selling out to Google.

I've already deleted my account. If anyone dislikes this kind of behavior and actually wants it to stop than I suggest doing the same. Also, crazy John McAfee's new site brownlist.com could possibly be a great place to voice your complaints. I know I have.

@onlykris said:

@alucitary said:

@patrickklepek From their AMA. Yep this is pretty much a joke to them.

What the fuck? Who put this idiot in charge?

In their defense, it's a twist on the most famous loaded question; "Do you still beat your wife?" There's no yes or no answer to that question that doesn't incriminate the respondent. Twitch's response implies the OP is asking loaded questions.

Is that the appropriate forum for references to formal rhetoric? Probably not.

Thanks VGK.

@brodehouse said:

@onlykris said:

@alucitary said:

@patrickklepek From their AMA. Yep this is pretty much a joke to them.

What the fuck? Who put this idiot in charge?

In their defense, it's a twist on the most famous loaded question; "Do you still beat your wife?" There's no yes or no answer to that question that doesn't incriminate the respondent.

Is that the appropriate forum for references to formal rhetoric? Probably not.

It makes sense that they don't want to incriminate themselves but I agree with you that it was completely inappropriate and I would go further as saying it was wrong to do. All they had to say was "We don't hate the FGC". Instead they spouted out this scummy albeit clever garbage. It's pretty infuriating and indicative of their presumed stature.

TLDR: This response makes them look like cunts.

Oh, I just realized how this is a huge bummer. Most streamers I follow don't seem to care about their archives (yet they still archive the stream?) so they continue to play music as usual. Well, most of the American streamers I follow, it was fun while it lasted. Bye.

@eccentrix said:

I just got a reply today: "Unfortunately we were unable to answer your request in time."

Well its only archived videos. It makes sense.

Because they have money and lawyers?

Nerds just love their constant stream of free unadulterated stuff. Unfortunately there are laws in place to restrict usage of stuff people own. I enjoy those laws myself.

I'm sure another service will open up and the cycle will repeat ad infinitum