Twitch makes change to banning, then changes its mind Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Twitch makes change to banning, then changes its mind Accidental update was to curb followbot abuse. News by Ed Nightingale News reporter Updated on 4 Nov 2021 1 comment Twitch has rolled back a ban feature it said was accidentally released early. A change to the way bans work on the platform meant that banned accounts were automatically removed as a follower. However, Twitch has rolled back on this change a day later. Watch on YouTube "While working to curb followbot abuse, a product feature was inadvertently released early," Twitch tweeted. "As a result, accounts that were banned in a channel were automatically removed as a follower. We've rolled back this change and bans should now be functioning as expected." We've heard your feedback about this change and the final product should address many concerns raised. We're continuing to build, and we'll let you know what is happening when we're ready to launch.- Twitch Support (@TwitchSupport) November 3, 2021 To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings At the very least this offers some insight into Twitch's thoughts on how to deal with followbot abuse. Marginalised streamers have been suffering from hate raids and demanded Twitch make changes so streamers can better protect themselves. This update to banning is a sound one. In theory, if a streamer bans an account from their channel for abusive comments, it makes sense that they would automatically be unfollowed. However, some streamers complained about the change. In part that's because of the potential for accidental bans by either streamers or their moderators. But more common is that temporary banning of regular viewers for fun by moderators is a frequent joke on the platform - even though a temporary timeout would have a similar effect should any permanent changes be made to banning in future. "We've heard your feedback about this change and the final product should address many concerns raised," said Twitch. "We're continuing to build, and we'll let you know what is happening when we're ready to launch." It's unknown when any definitive changes will be made to the banning process in the future. It's at least a positive that Twitch are looking into methods of protection, even if this was accidentally released too early. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 13 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Google announces cloud gaming Chromebooks less than a fortnight after Stadia shutdown GeForce Now preinstalled. 4 Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store