Twitch has revised its Hateful Conduct policy, now including specific provisions regarding the term “Zionist.” The update, announced in a blog post on November 15, 2024, stipulates that while the term “Zionist” is not banned outright, its use could lead to punitive actions if it targets individuals or groups in a hateful or derogatory manner.

According to the platform’s statement, “Starting today, using the term ‘Zionist’ to attack or demean another individual or group of people on the basis of their background or religious belief is against our rules.” However, Twitch maintains that discussing Zionism as a political movement, whether positively or negatively, does not infringe on the policy. The intention, as Twitch describes, is not to “stifle conversation about or criticism of an institution or ideology, but to prevent coded hate directed at individuals and groups of people.”