Terms of Service contracts are typically one of the most boring documents a person can read. Sure, there was a funny episode of South Park about such contracts, but agreements and codes of conduct are usually long, boring documents that people generally ignore. After all, no one wants to read pages upon pages of bland legal text.
However, once in a blue moon, a truly entertaining document is discovered. Something that people will not only read, but actually find amusing. With the latest update to its Rules of Conduct, the streaming website Twitch now contains one of those gems.
At first glance, most of the rules are fairly standard. Don't be racist, don't hack into games and don't do anything illegal on air. It's worded in a way that's easy to read, but it's still boilerplate. That is, until one reaches the 'Dress...appropriately' section. Here's what it says:
"Dress...appropriately
Nerds are sexy, and you're all magnificent, beautiful creatures, but let's try and keep this about the games, shall we?
Wearing no clothing or sexually suggestive clothing - including lingerie, swimsuits, pasties, and undergarments - is prohibited, as well as any full nude torsos*, which applies to both male and female broadcasters. You may have a great six-pack, but that's better shared on the beach during a 2-on-2 volleyball game blasting "Playing with the Boys."
* If it's unbearably hot where you are, and you happen to have your shirt off (guys) or a bikini top (grills), then just crop the webcam to your face. Problem solved.
We sell t-shirts, and those are always acceptable."
From the very first line 'Nerds are sexy,' readers should know that the site isn't taking itself that seriously. Even so, it's still somewhat strange that Twitch has to have a dress code at all. Perhaps it's a byproduct of the day and age we live in, but at least Twitch isn't above winking at itself.
So far, there hasn't been much in the way of clothing-based controversy on the site. Of course, there have probably been a few isolated cases, but nothing major has emerged yet. If anything, Twitch seems to be trying to steer clear of what happened with Chatroulette all those years ago. Giving users free reign to do whatever they wanted in front of a camera obviously wasn't the best idea, and Twitch seems determined to stop that from happening.
Twitch is wholly dedicated to gaming, that much is certain. While the site isn't going to censor users or block content, that doesn't mean the owners want gamers playing in the nude. While a very select few may complain that the site is overstepping its boundaries, the overwhelming majority will agree that no one wants to watch Twitch users play in the buff.
