Twitch faces backlash over Emiru assault response
Twitch’s apology following the assault on streamer Emiru has drawn intense criticism online. Fans and creators accused the company of lying, hiding evidence, and failing to take sexual violence seriously. The controversy has become a major public relations crisis for the platform.
Community anger and accusations
The backlash began after Twitch posted an official statement acknowledging it "failed to keep Emiru safe" during TwitchCon San Diego and promised donations to anti–sexual violence organizations. Many users viewed the statement as insincere and misleading.
“Lying on several occasions” and “withholding evidence,” claimed one viral community note attached to Twitch’s post.
The note suggested that Twitch allowed the assailant to avoid consequences and failed to provide crucial video evidence to investigators, further inflaming public outrage across social media.
Streamers join criticism
Streamer SmugAlana publicly mocked Twitch for its perceived hypocrisy, pointing out that the platform had recently unbanned another creator accused of on-stream sexual assault. Her post spread rapidly, amplifying community frustration with Twitch’s handling of sexual misconduct cases.
Twitch’s promises and fallout
On November 7, Twitch confirmed it accepted responsibility for not protecting Emiru during her meet-and-greet at TwitchCon. The company pledged to improve event security and donate to nonprofits aiding survivors. However, users viewed these pledges as inadequate without transparency or accountability for the incident’s mishandling.
Summary
Twitch’s response to the Emiru assault has escalated into a worsening reputational crisis, highlighting growing distrust toward the platform’s sexual misconduct policies.
Author’s summary: Twitch’s vague apology after Emiru’s assault reignited debates about accountability, fueling user outrage and deepening mistrust toward the streaming giant.