He’s a literal God at this game, she should sell thongs: a qualitative exploration of gendered harassment on Twitch.tv

Video game livestreams have become a significant component of gaming culture, offering an online platform where thousands gather to connect and interact with one another. However, like video game culture in general, previous research has highlighted a large presence of misogyny on livestreaming sites, particularly on Twitch.tv. This research explored instances of gendered harassment on Twitch.tv by examining differences in the chat environment curated by male and female video game livestreamers. To achieve this, the study used a qualitative approach that included a sample of seven male and seven female video game livestreams, selected across seven video game titles. Thematic analysis suggested that there was an observable difference between the male and female video game livestream experience, with female livestreamers experiencing greater criticism regarding their physical appearance and gameplay strategy. Interestingly, the most glaring examples of prejudice were not directed towards female livestreamers but were discovered in the male livestreamers’ chat, suggesting that this space provides an environment whereby men can establish their masculine dominance during the livestream and within the associated chat channel. These findings underscore the significance of examining how misogyny and prejudice manifest in emerging digital landscapes, such as Twitch.tv, which can subsequently aid in platform policy design to create a welcoming digital space for all.