Precarious Digital Labour and Emerging Challenges for Streamers on Twitch: A Case Study

Chen, Y; Zhu, HY

Precarious Digital Labour and Emerging Challenges for Streamers on Twitch: A Case Study

Chen, Y Zhu, HY

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Publisher:: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: Ozchi 2025 Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human Computer Interaction, 2025, pp. 682-690
Issue Date:: 2025-11-28

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Chen, Y
dc.contributor.author	Zhu, HY
dc.date.accessioned	2026-02-04T03:39:23Z
dc.date.available	2026-02-04T03:39:23Z
dc.date.issued	2025-11-28
dc.identifier.citation	Ozchi 2025 Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human Computer Interaction, 2025, pp. 682-690
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/192974
dc.description.abstract	Live streaming has shifted from a niche hobby to a form of digital labour, yet creators often work without formal protections. Recent cases, including coordinated harassment campaigns and contested bans, illustrate the escalating risks streamers face and reveal how Twitch's design and governance choices can heighten these vulnerabilities. This paper examines Twitch as an interactive system to analyse structural barriers to safety and the misaligned interests between viewers, streamers, platforms, and governments. Drawing on literature in digital labour and platform governance, and using illustrative case studies, we identify four interlocking dynamics: platform-streamer power imbalances, regulatory and institutional gaps, dependence on viewer patronage, and the structural invisibility of streaming within labour law. The findings show that Twitch exercises employer-like control over monetisation, visibility, and conduct while avoiding the obligations of formal employment. We propose governance models, regulatory reforms, and design interventions to address the systemic imbalance of power in live streaming.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
dc.relation.ispartof	Ozchi 2025 Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human Computer Interaction
dc.relation.ispartof	Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1145/3764687.3769918
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Precarious Digital Labour and Emerging Challenges for Streamers on Twitch: A Case Study
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Computer Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute (AAII)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-02-04T03:39:22Z
pubs.publication-status	Published

Abstract:

Live streaming has shifted from a niche hobby to a form of digital labour, yet creators often work without formal protections. Recent cases, including coordinated harassment campaigns and contested bans, illustrate the escalating risks streamers face and reveal how Twitch's design and governance choices can heighten these vulnerabilities. This paper examines Twitch as an interactive system to analyse structural barriers to safety and the misaligned interests between viewers, streamers, platforms, and governments. Drawing on literature in digital labour and platform governance, and using illustrative case studies, we identify four interlocking dynamics: platform-streamer power imbalances, regulatory and institutional gaps, dependence on viewer patronage, and the structural invisibility of streaming within labour law. The findings show that Twitch exercises employer-like control over monetisation, visibility, and conduct while avoiding the obligations of formal employment. We propose governance models, regulatory reforms, and design interventions to address the systemic imbalance of power in live streaming.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/192974