Twitch is making major changes to its Safety Advisory Council by terminating the contracts of all current council members. Streamers from its ambassador program will take their place. This decision was made following a meeting on May 6, at which members were notified that their contracts would expire on May 31, 2024, without further payment.
History of the Safety Advisory Council
In May 2020, Twitch established the Safety Advisory Council with the goal of enhancing user safety and trust in the network. Streamers, moderators and specialists, such as Emma Llansó from the Center for Democracy and Technology, Dr. Sameer Hinduja from the Cyberbullying Research Center and Dr. T.L. Taylor, co-founder of AnyKey, a gaming platform that supports diversity, were on the council. They assisted Twitch in creating safety features, creating new policies and also protecting vulnerable populations from abuses like hate crimes.
New direction with Twitch Ambassadors
These days, Twitch is focusing on its ambassador program.
“Going forward, the Safety Advisory Council will primarily be made up of individuals who serve as Twitch Ambassadors,” Twitch wrote in an email to the council members. A Twitch representative confirmed this decision to CNBC, stating that the new council will offer “fresh, diverse perspectives” and include the voices of more than 180 creators.
Uncertainty over payment
People are asking whether or not the new council members who are a part of the ambassador program receive compensation since the annual compensation for the former council members ranged from $10,000 to $20,000. Unfortunately, Twitch has refrained from commenting regarding this topic as of today.