Twitch has removed the “Blind Playthrough” tag over disability “insensitivity” in case it offends the blind.
In 2018, games streaming site Twitch introduced a tag system to allow users to classify their streams according to the content, giving viewers a rough idea of what the videos are about.
One of the tags used was “blind playthrough.” It was applied to videos providing a sneak-peek into games for first time users who did not want spoilers from the live chat feature. The tag was used frequently. However, on December 4, the company announced that the tag would no longer be used.
“Happy to see Twitch has listened to everyone who shared feedback and removed the ‘Blind Playthrough’ tag to encourage more inclusive language for our community. You can still use ‘First Playthrough’ or opt to use it in combination with ‘No Spoilers’ for the same sentiment,” Twitch community and creator marketing director Erin “Aureylian” Wayne wrote on Twitter.
Aureylian herself once used the phrase back in 2018.
The tag “blind playthrough” had supposedly received criticism from activists for being insensitive to people with disabilities. As a result, Twitch partner and COO of AbleGamers Stephen Spohn started a thread on Twitter on “ableism,” pointing out that there are alternatives to the word blind.
After Twitch announced removing the tag, Spohn, who is part of a company that advises gaming companies, wrote:
“I’m happy to see Twitch following through on promises to address and resolving issues and concerns from the disability community. It’s just the beginning.”
