In a recent conversation with the Twitch community, the CEO of the popular streaming platform, Twitch, was asked to provide more details about the new embed policy. The user inquired about how this policy might impact their use of the feature on a website they own, particularly in the context of their focus on a specific game they also stream. They expressed gratitude for the feature but sought clarity regarding the platform's goals moving forward.
The CEO's response offered valuable insights into the intent behind the new embed policy: "the focus is, if you have a lot of people coming to the website and part of what they're doing is engaging with the content on the website which you are embedding and that is a meaningful portion of the website, then that is a appropriate use of embedding, what we are trying to capture is where people are coming to the website for purpose x and there's a small autoplay with no audio on the side they hardly even see, because the reason they are there is just to interact and there is large amount of people doing it, if you are one of the people, we are going to contact any of the sites we are doing this with, so you will be contacted if this is a issue, if your a small site then I suspect it wont be a problem" -source
This statement underscores the importance of user engagement and meaningful integration of Twitch content on external websites. It signifies that Twitch is keen on maintaining a balance between the use of the embed feature and the quality of engagement it fosters.
For years, Twitch's embed feature has proven to be a valuable tool for streamers and website owners. It enables the seamless integration of live or recorded Twitch content into their websites, enhancing user experience and promoting interaction between the streamer's community and website visitors. This is particularly relevant for streamers who have a dedicated focus on a specific game or theme.
The CEO's explanation goes further by highlighting the platform's concern regarding autoplay videos with no audio that may distract users from their primary reason for visiting a website. Twitch aims to address cases where these autoplay videos are prevalent, potentially overwhelming the user experience. The CEO mentioned that Twitch would contact websites engaging in such practices, indicating their intention to maintain the quality of user interaction.
However, the response also provides reassurance to smaller website owners, suggesting that the new embed policy might not be an issue for them. This suggests that Twitch's focus is primarily on addressing instances where the user experience is significantly affected, particularly on larger websites.
In conclusion, the CEO's response highlights Twitch's commitment to improving the quality of user engagement, especially when it comes to embedding Twitch content on external websites. The platform seeks to ensure that the integration of Twitch content adds value to the user experience rather than detracts from it. For website owners who genuinely enhance their visitors' experience by embedding Twitch content, the new embed policy is not likely to be a concern. It demonstrates Twitch's dedication to maintaining a positive and engaging environment for its users while acknowledging the diverse ways the platform is utilized.
