The 10th TwitchCon is underway. The weekend's opening keynote covered new features for streamers and some enforcement changes. As for the latter, Twitch is, in most cases, moving away from blanket bans and toward targeted enforcement. So, a chat violation may not affect an account's ability to stream, or vice versa.Dual-format streaming, which lets you go live in vertical and horizontal views at once, is getting a beta rollout. Twitch tested the feature with a small number of accounts beginning in August. The wider beta kicks off next week.Of course, AI made an appearance at the keynote. First, Auto Clips is a new feature that automates highlight creation for streamers. Twitch also mentioned that Meta's AI glasses will soon support Twitch live-streaming. (We first learned that feature was coming at Meta Connect in September.) An update to the Twitch mobile app will add that support within "the next few months."Streamers will be happy to learn that Twitch is adding ways for them to make money. It plans to increase the number of sponsorship deals on the platform. The company said this was due to growing advertiser enthusiasm for Twitch streamers. Twitch will begin rolling out the new offers to all monetizing streamers (including affiliates) in the coming months.TwitchCon runs through this Sunday in San Diego.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/twitch-rule-breakers-rejoice-targeted-enforcement-will-replace-blanket-bans-183046229.html?src=rss

The breadth and reach of Australia's pioneering social media ban grows as livestream platform Twitch has now been added to the list of banned platforms for users under 16 years of age. The nationwide ban is the first of its kind and encompasses Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and recently Reddit.According to the BBC, Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Twitch had been included because it was "a platform most commonly used for livestreaming or posting content that enables users, including Australian children, to interact with others in relation to the content posted."No other platforms are expected to be added before the law goes into effect next month. Grant also said on Friday that Pinterest would not be included in the ban because the core purpose of the platform was not online social interaction.Under the ban, platforms are expected to take "reasonable steps" to prevent underage users from accessing their platforms, and face steep fees for failure to comply. While VPNs may provide a workaround in some instances, the law still creates an enormous barrier to entry for users under 16.Earlier this month, Denmark announced its lawmakers had reached a bipartisan agreement to enact a similar ban for users under 15, though details were scarce. In the US, several states have attempted to enact such a ban including Texas and Florida, though these measures either failed to pass or are held up in court. Even laws that don't go as far, such as Utah's law requiring parents to grant permission for teens to open social media accounts, are facing stiff opposition on First Amendment grounds.Concern around minors' social media continues to grow in the zeitgeist as evidence mounts surrounding the potential ill effects these platforms have on their youngest users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/australia-is-adding-twitch-to-its-social-media-ban-for-children-202033276.html?src=rss