Twitch is not child's play

On Twitch, children and young people can watch gamers play, chat with them and be part of a community. However, parents should know a few basic things about the platform.

Put simply, video gamers broadcast how they play in real time on Twitch. This is called «Let's Play» and is now the main source of income for many professional video gamers. The figures are impressive: the best players have millions of followers and hundreds of millions of views, which can be monetised accordingly.
The fascination of young people for Twitch lies in the opportunity to get in direct contact with their gaming idols. A chat runs parallel to the stream, in which viewers can communicate with the gamers - or with each other. In principle, it is possible to watch most streams for free and chat after a simple registration - but only in a slowed-down mode.
Viewers also have the opportunity to support their idols in a very tangible way by subscribing to a channel («subs»). This starts with a simple subscription for 5.99 francs per month, continues with a level 2 subscription for 10.99 and ends with a level 3 subscription for 29.99. There are also options to donate money or give subs as a gift.

Teenagers want to belong

The higher the subscription level, the more emoticons can be used in the chat. In addition, the name of the subscriber is labelled with a corresponding emoticon. A subscription is displayed live and in most cases the gamer thanks the subscriber personally. Being part of this community, being mentioned by your idol in front of thousands of viewers, is a tempting offer for many teenagers.
Twitch is generally approved from the age of 18, and from 13 under parental supervision. However, this is not monitored. The games broadcast have no age rating.

Tips for parents

  • Discuss and decide on subscription expenses together. Make sure that young people do not have access to credit card details or PayPal accounts.
  • There is a risk of unwanted contacts in the chat. It is possible to prevent communication with strangers.
  • Twitch is generally more suitable for young people and an adult audience and not a platform for children.
Michael In Albon ist Beauftragter Jugendmedienschutz und Experte Medienkompetenz von Swisscom.
Michael In Albon is a youth media protection officer and media literacy expert at Swisscom.

On Medienstark you will find tips and interactive learning modules for the competent use of digital media in everyday family life.
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