What is the Twitch DJ program and how can it potentially affect other streamers?

Twitch will be undertaking a new policy enforcement system for using copyrighted music, in light of the launch of the Twitch DJ program. To those unaware, Twitch announced the program through a blog post on June 6, 2024, which went live on August 8, 2024. The program was designed to allow DJs on the platform to stream most of the popular music in a new, dedicated category of their own.

Twitch CEO Dan Clancy stated that the program had come to fruition after a partnership with many major music labels such as the Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony Music, along with independent labels and other copyright holders represented by digital rights music licensing partner, Merlin.

Now, within revelations made by @zachbussey in a post on X, the development of this special category may introduce guideline enforcement that could potentially affect a vast margin of the content creators on the platform.

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How can the Twitch DJ program affect content creators on the platform?

Under the Twitch DJ program, the platform aimed to ensure that part of the revenue is shared with owners of the rights to the music utilized by Twitch DJs. Thus, to pay off this "cost" of the music used, the platform proposed splitting it 50/50 with streamers, with Twitch initially taking up more of the cost. Further, a 1-year subsidy will be provided by Twitch to compensate for any difference in revenue that DJs may earn as a result of the split.

To those not enrolling in the program, non-authorized usage of music could result in a report being submitted against the violating streamer. This would subsequently result in a penalty being levied on the creator, based on a previous number of reports and the context of the usage.

These guidelines are speculated to go live starting from September 1, 2024. As per them, a channel acting as a "radio" primarily focused on broadcasting music without much streamer involvement would receive a permanent suspension on its first report itself. On the other side, uses that involve recorded music will allow for three "music reporting" penalties to be issued before a permanent suspension is handed to the channel.

Punitive measures would be undertaken in other usages, including such as broadcasting live DJ streams involving recorded music, broadcasting of pre-released or unreleased music, rebroadcasting of concerts or live performances including recorded music, broadcasts playing an entire album of recorded music, streaming recorded music as an "integral" part of the stream (such as in a fitness class), streaming advertisements or paid content involving recorded music and finally, using recorded music for lip-sync, karaoke or audio request playback services.

In each case of usage, the fourth report results in a permanent suspension for the channel, while lesser punishments for earlier reports include temporary suspensions and livestream terminations.

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Twitch moderation recently clamped down on streamer Kanel Joseph for "Adult Nudity" after the content creator gave an explicit description of his experience with a dancer. In a post on X, the streamer appealed to Twitch to remove the ban, claiming that he had not showcased any actual nudity within his broadcast,