In the name of transparency and accessibility, Twitch launched its new Privacy Center to educate users, after conducting “extensive research” and finding that many of its users have no idea how their personal data is collected and used.
the Privacy CenterWhich launched on Thursday, explains how personal data is collected on Twitch and across the internet, and explains what users’ privacy options actually mean. Seeking to go beyond “surface-level transparency,” the privacy center is designed to provide “actionable information” about Twitch’s data use — without the “legal and corporate speak,” the company said in a press release.
“We believe that privacy information should be understood, otherwise it is not truly useful. Regardless of intent, if information is not shared in a clear and accessible way, it will be less valuable to the end user, and even less actionable.” We were not looking to create more From working for our community, or providing a complex network to scrutinize under the guise of “transparency.”
Twitch’s user base is skewing younger; Company Reports In 2022, more than 70% of its viewers were between the ages of 18 and 34. Personal data may not be a major concern for its users, even if they are gamers.
Through surveys and small group settings, Twitch concluded that many creators and viewers remembered making privacy selections, but did not remember what they chose or how to verify what they chose. They also did not know how “personal data” was defined by Twitch and across the Internet. Twitch said users also don’t have a “good understanding” of how their data is used on the platform.
Regulating social media platforms is difficult, and sites like Twitch adhere to a mix of guidelines set by federal agencies and local laws that can vary by country and region. To comply with the European Union General Data Protection RegulationWebsites are required to obtain the user’s consent to collect and use their personal data. While most sites ask users to opt-in or opt-out of data collection, pop-ups don’t always explain this What Users agree to.
Twitch’s Privacy Center includes resources on how to handle data shared by users, and the company said it distinguishes between “general, good-to-know” definitions that apply across the broader social media landscape, and “in-depth” information about Twitch. Specific users. The Privacy Center is also a hub for users to control the collection and use of their data, gives users access to copies of their personal data and provides clear explanations of its opt-out tools. For example, opting out of ad tracking on a mobile device is interpreted as “opting out of your personal data being leveraged to enhance your advertising experience while on the Twitch platform.”
The Privacy Center also establishes “Privacy Principles,” which Twitch said are intended to “found and guide” its ongoing work on privacy. In addition to “transparency,” “control,” and “choice,” Twitch pledges to “design with privacy in mind” by creating products that minimize the collection of personal information, secure user data and allow the user to delete their existing data.
“Our community should be able to trust that Twitch is doing the right thing to keep their personal data safe, that we respect their privacy rights, and give them the information they need to make informed decisions about their experience with Twitch,” Twitch continued.
Of course, it’s fair to treat any social platform’s data collection promises with skepticism. After all, plenty of sites have publicly claimed that they weren’t collecting and using their users’ data, while continuing to collect and use their users’ data. For example, TikTok denies using biometric data derived from users, but its privacy policy includes a vague provision stating that it may collect “biometric identifiers and biometric information as defined under U.S. laws, such as facial and voice prints.” The policy does not explain why this information is collected or how it is shared.
In the case of Twitch, the Privacy Center alone is no guarantee that users’ personal data will be safe. But an effort to educate its young, perhaps naive, audience about their privacy rights is a start.