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Google has already made Twitch worse

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Streamingdienst twitch akkoord met overname google
The number one fear Twitch users had when YouTube bought the streaming website was censorship. YouTube has become notorious for strict, dictator-like censorship of videos with unauthorized content. Automatic systems are used to monitor this on YouTube, and they’ve now been implemented in Twitch as well.

And just like the system on YouTube, it borders on unfair. Sure, people shouldn’t be allowed to use music that doesn’t technically belong to them. But searching through Twitch streams using 30 minute blocks isn’t exactly fine searching.

The automatic policing was introduced yesterday. The program searches 30 minute segments of each video, poking for any copyrighted audio. If it finds any, even just a second, that entire 30 minute block is muted. There’s still video, but all other audio is muted, which almost renders that segment useless.

It becomes even more of an issue when the system picks up background music in games being streamed as unauthorized audio. So if people can’t even stream gameplay, what’s Twitch good for anymore?

On the upside, this doesn’t apply to any live streams that are hosted on Twitch. The system hasn’t yet been implemented to scan live streaming, although all On-Demand content will be subjected to the searches.

Last Updated: August 7, 2014

34 Comments

  1. And thus the bright era of Let’s Play fell to the power of the Darkness.

    Reply

  2. Kensei Seraph

    August 7, 2014 at 08:40

    And thus the bright era of Let’s Play fell to the power of the Darkness.

    Reply

  3. Praise Lord GabeN

    August 7, 2014 at 08:41

    What happened to “Don’t be evil” Google?

    Reply

    • HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

      August 7, 2014 at 09:02

      It is here somewhere check under “Make loads of money”

      Reply

  4. Praise Lord GabeN

    August 7, 2014 at 08:41

    What happened to “Don’t be evil” Google?

    Reply

    • HvR - Still dislikes Random.or

      August 7, 2014 at 09:02

      It is here somewhere check under “Make loads of money”

      Reply

  5. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 7, 2014 at 08:48

    I don’t really blame Google, they didn’t create this environment of music censorship – the music companies did. How’d you like to be sued for millions by every music company under the sun for user-generated content every second day?

    And if you think this wouldn’t have happened to Twitch if Google never bought it then you’re being very naive. It’ll happen to every video-sharing site that happens to have music playing in the background, the music industry will make sure of that. Whining about Google is just shooting the messenger.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Dovahkiin

      August 7, 2014 at 08:48

      What you said, yes.

      Reply

    • frikkenator

      August 7, 2014 at 09:09

      Yep.

      Reply

    • Rince

      August 7, 2014 at 09:44

      Indeed.

      Reply

    • der dur

      August 8, 2014 at 08:26

      The method google currently is using is stricter than what they would need to do to follow the law. They are using a stricter system in attempt to make it an industry standard…something record companies can demand on others. Twitch could have implemented a system where a party would file a complaint to their admins about a duration of time in the video, and then that portion of the video was muted while the author was given time to show fair use. In it the companies agree to only file a complaint against any portion of a video once, and if they claim content that they do not have copyright over, then the muting request is denied.

      Reply

  6. Ryanza

    August 7, 2014 at 08:48

    this is what we have been fighting for all our lives. drm of all content. you won’t pirate music, so why would you support listening to music in a non drm way.

    if you want to watch and listen to twitch streams then you have to pay for all the drm licenses involved.

    but i can’t say any of that because what’s my stance on drm. you can’t support drm in one area and not support drm in other areas.

    Reply

  7. Alien Emperor Trevor

    August 7, 2014 at 08:48

    I don’t really blame Google, they didn’t create this environment of music censorship – the music companies did. How’d you like to be sued for millions by every music company under the sun for user-generated content every second day?

    And if you think this wouldn’t have happened to Twitch if Google never bought it then you’re being very naive. It’ll happen to every video-sharing site that happens to have music playing in the background, the music industry will make sure of that. Whining about Google is just shooting the messenger.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief Dovahkiin

      August 7, 2014 at 08:48

      What you said, yes.

      Reply

    • frikkenator

      August 7, 2014 at 09:09

      Yep.

      Reply

    • Rince

      August 7, 2014 at 09:44

      Indeed.

      Reply

    • der dur

      August 8, 2014 at 08:26

      The method google currently is using is stricter than what they would need to do to follow the law. They are using a stricter system in attempt to make it an industry standard…something record companies can demand on others. Twitch could have implemented a system where a party would file a complaint to their admins about a duration of time in the video, and then that portion of the video was muted while the author was given time to show fair use. In it the companies agree to only file a complaint against any portion of a video once, and if they claim content that they do not have copyright over, then the muting request is denied.

      Reply

  8. Ryanza

    August 7, 2014 at 08:48

    this is what we have been fighting for all our lives. drm of all content. you won’t pirate music, so why would you support listening to music in a non drm way.

    if you want to watch and listen to twitch streams then you have to pay for all the drm licenses involved.

    but i can’t say any of that because what’s my stance on drm. you can’t support drm in one area and not support drm in other areas.

    Reply

  9. JunkieJI

    August 7, 2014 at 08:54

  10. JunkieJI

    August 7, 2014 at 08:54

  11. Jonah Cash

    August 7, 2014 at 09:00

    Help me out here. Watch Dogs have music in it, which I take the musician or record company knows about and has been compensated for. Then the game is played and edited and then put on twitch or youtube or where ever on the internet. Should the record company or musician then get more money or have they already been paid???
    If the edited section has a new track playing in the background then I understand that the oke who’s song it is can feel aggrieved but if it has only the game content in and there happens to be a song playing while you drive the car then surely the guy has already made his money on the song???
    Am I missing something here???

    Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      August 7, 2014 at 09:02

      Sounds about right.

      Reply

  12. Jonah Cash

    August 7, 2014 at 09:00

    Help me out here. Watch Dogs have music in it, which I take the musician or record company knows about and has been compensated for. Then the game is played and edited and then put on twitch or youtube or where ever on the internet. Should the record company or musician then get more money or have they already been paid???
    If the edited section has a new track playing in the background then I understand that the oke who’s song it is can feel aggrieved but if it has only the game content in and there happens to be a song playing while you drive the car then surely the guy has already made his money on the song???
    Am I missing something here???

    Reply

    • Kensei Seraph

      August 7, 2014 at 09:02

      Sounds about right.

      Reply

  13. Macethy

    August 7, 2014 at 09:09

    So people actually sit and watch other people play games poorly over the internet? It’s like the 21sy century version of watching paint dry…

    Reply

    • Jonah Cash

      August 7, 2014 at 09:46

      And not just a few of them, they do it in the thousands!!! Weird I know…

      Reply

    • Lothy

      August 7, 2014 at 10:09

      Sounds the same when ppl watch other ppl play soccer or *insert any random event*.
      Sorry to say that if u truly believe that, then u live in the 19th century…
      this isn’t meant to be taken personally, just you acting naive

      Reply

  14. Macethy

    August 7, 2014 at 09:09

    So people actually sit and watch other people play games poorly over the internet? It’s like the 21sy century version of watching paint dry…

    Reply

    • Jonah Cash

      August 7, 2014 at 09:46

      And not just a few of them, they do it in the thousands!!! Weird I know…

      Reply

    • Lothy

      August 7, 2014 at 10:09

      Sounds the same when ppl watch other ppl play soccer or *insert any random event*.
      Sorry to say that if u truly believe that, then u live in the 19th century…
      this isn’t meant to be taken personally, just you acting naive

      Reply

  15. Rince

    August 7, 2014 at 09:43

    Big brother is watching!

    Reply

  16. Rince

    August 7, 2014 at 09:43

    Big brother is watching!

    Reply

  17. Buk Lau

    August 7, 2014 at 23:55

    Horrible…

    i Never got why watching someone play games was popular(its pretty boring to me).
    But now your gonna censor the audio thats pretty F*cked Up

    Reply

  18. Buk Lau

    August 7, 2014 at 23:55

    Horrible…

    i Never got why watching someone play games was popular(its pretty boring to me).
    But now your gonna censor the audio thats pretty F*cked Up

    Reply

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