An internet sleuth today discovered a change in Twitch’s API that includes what appears to be a “Brand Safety Score” that streamers can get based on a number of factors.
Daylam Tayari, who claims to be a cybersecurity student at Arizona State University, posted screengrabs on Twitter showing the API changes, adding that the information could be “sent to advertisers for ads, sponsors, and also probably for bounty purposes.”
Some of the things that Twitch could reportedly be tracking as a part of this rating include a streamer’s age, ban history, affiliate/partner status, and auto-moderation usage.
The Twitter posts have quickly elicited responses from the streaming community, though. While it’s still uncertain exactly how a Brand Safety Score might be used, some have shown concern that this potential effort by Twitch might give certain streamers preferential treatment.
The API changes also drew comparisons to YouTube’s highly criticized P-Score measurements that affect the way channels surface on the platform.
Twitch formally commented this afternoon after the API change was made public.
“We are exploring ways to improve the experience on Twitch for viewers and creators, including efforts to better match the appropriate ads to the right communities,” a Twitch spokesperson said. “User privacy is critical on Twitch, and, as we refine this process, we will not pursue plans that compromise that priority. Nothing has launched yet, no personal information was shared, and we will keep our community informed of any updates along the way.”
