Social networks, apps and games
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Twitch

Twitch is a live video game website. You can watch playbacks of games being played by other people. You can also live stream your own games, and chat to other gamers. Users can follow channels and games they want to keep track of. Twitch allows live streaming.

13+

Official age rating

14+

Parent age rating

What do parents say?
11+

Child age rating

What do children say?

At a glance

Kids use this to...

Play

Create

Learn

Connect

Parents' and children's view of risks...

Sexual

Medium Risk

Violence & hatred

Medium Risk

Bullying

Medium Risk

Suicide & self-harm

Low Risk

Drink, drugs & crime

Medium Risk

O2 Guru top tip

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On Twitch

In the privacy section under settings, show your child how they can block Whispers (private messages) from people they don't know.

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Top tips for staying safe

Exploring apps, sites and games together is a great way to involve your child in the decision-making process.

Be positive about what you see, but also be open about your concerns. Ask them what they think is appropriate and what worries them.

If you decide it’s not appropriate, then make sure you explain your reasons why (and be prepared for an unhappy child).

You might decide it’s ok for your child to use. If so, make sure you follow the tips below to ensure it’s as safe as possible. And work out a time when you’ll next discuss the app.

Help your child think about what they share online and who sees it. Compare it to what they would be happy to share offline.

You might want to start by asking:

  • What kinds of things do you share online?
  • Should we share everything?
  • What shouldn’t we share?

Use examples that are easy for them to understand: “You wouldn’t give your number to a stranger on the street. Is a stranger online any different?”

Listen to their answers. And be positive and encouraging.

Remind them that they shouldn’t share private things, such as:

  • personal information, like emails, names, phone numbers, school names
  • photos of themselves with strangers
  • photos of their body
  • gossip

Explain that you understand the internet is a great place to play, create, learn and connect. But remind them they can talk to you if anything upsets or worries them.

Reassure them that you won’t overreact – you’re just looking out for them.

And if they feel like they can’t speak to you, tell them to talk to an adult they trust, like a teacher or Childline.

Abuse and harassment are against Twitch's community guidelines but if it your child comes across any it's useful to them how to report it. You can follow Twitch's guidance on how to file a user report.

Twitch also has a feature that lets you block Whispers (private messages) from other users. You might want to use this if your child is receiving inappropriate messages.

Explore these features with your child and let them know that they can always talk to you about worrying things they come across online.

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Talking to your child

Having open, regular conversations with your child will help you to really understand and explore the online world together. Our tips and advice can help you start these conversations.

Talk about staying safe online

What children and parents are saying about Twitch

We've spoken to over 2,000 parents and kids to find out what they think.

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Kids

What do children and young people dislike about Twitch?

  • There are lots of adverts
  • People say rude things in their videos
  • It's hard to censor because it's live

5% of the children and young people who reviewed Twitch thought it was unsafe.

It is quite vulgar as once it's said, it's gone and nobody can watch it again. This makes the streamer quite reckless about what they say which can lead to some upsetting things being said.

Boy, 13

What do children and young people like about Twitch?

  • You can learn how to play your favourite games
  • It's entertaining
  • You can watch your favourite YouTubers

The site can be both very safe and enjoyable, and also risky and vulgar depending on what content is selected. It's great at separating these two sides of the site and allows users to select what content they want to access. The content is almost always live, meaning there is little/no censorship.

18 year old

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Parents

We asked parents about the following areas of Twitch:

Signing up

It was very easy to register. I was asked for my date of birth but there was no verification.

Mum of 9 and 12 year olds

I feel it is incredibly easy for any child to pose as older to create an account.

Dad of an 8 year old girl

Reporting

Overall, parents found it easy to report unsuitable content or behaviour and block people from getting in contact.

Reporting was easy, once you found the link to do this. There was no obvious 'report this content' button.

Father of 12 and 18 year olds

Reporting should be much easier - blocking was fine.

Dad of a 14 year old boy

Privacy settings

It is very difficult to navigate and needs to be much easier to find.

Mum of 9 and 12 year olds

Safety and support

For kids, stuff like this shouldn't be in menus; it should be much more upfront.

Father of 5 and 9 year olds

It is something you have to search for - rather than it being prevalent on the site.

Mother of 17 year old girl

Speak to an expert

Get free support on the phone or in an O2 store, whether you're an O2 customer or not.

calendar Book an appointment with an O2 Guru phone Call the Advice Line 0808 8005002

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