Why was Twitch streamer CodeMiko banned this time?

Twitch is a live video streaming platform where individuals can broadcast and view livestreams from millions of creators.

Streams range from gaming competitions to music, podcasts, news, and other creative content. Since the site’s launch in 2011, Twitch has amassed over 31 million daily users, according to Demand and Sage. One user that has gained success through the social media platform is CodeMiko. CodeMiko, a virtual avatar created by Youna Kang, joined Twitch in 2020 and has since built a massive following consisting of over 925,000 followers. 

CodeMiko’s Twitch account suggests that the themes of her videos are focused on “just chatting,” meaning that the channel owner can interact with their followers through conversations or activities instead of the video game streaming Twitch is best known for. CodeMiko recently made headlines after news outlets reported that the popular channel had been banned from Twitch.

Why was CodeMiko banned?

Dexerto reports that the reason surrounding CodeMiko’s ban stems from the shock collar she wore and its usage during her recent live stream. 

In the video, CodeMiko played a game with friend @HanaxBananaa called “You laugh, You lose.” The premise of the activity was simple: if CodeMiko or @HanaxBananaa laughed at any moment during the live stream, they would have to shock one another.

Immediately following the ban, CodeMiko revealed on Discord that Twitch’s restriction resulted from the shock collar. She wrote, “it’s cuz of the shock collar.” With this content appearing on CodeMiko’s channel, it violated the company’s terms of service, which states that they will not “glorify, promote, or encourage self-harm.”

CodeMiko has been banned numerous times on Twitch. Last June, CodeMiko was banned from the platform because the avatar was nude on the creator’s stream as they tried to mimic a homeless person.

At this time, it is unclear when CodeMiko would be allowed back on Twitch.