What a Twitch DMCA can target
| Content | What happens |
|---|---|
| Live stream | If the infringement is ongoing, Twitch may disable the stream and/or suspend the account. Past streams are identified by date and time. |
| VODs | Removed. The notice must give a timestamp for the infringing segment. |
| Clips | Removed. Each notice names one clip, so one stream can produce several notices. |
| Highlights and uploads | Removed or disabled if named in a complete notice. |
| Channel content | Emotes, panels, profile pictures and other artwork can be reported too. |
Music is the usual trigger: a song played on stream lives on in every VOD, highlight and clip from that broadcast.
Strikes and the repeat infringer policy
- Three strikes, then termination. Twitch can also terminate sooner for Terms of Service violations.
- When a strike counts: generally when Twitch receives a complete notification and no complete counter-notification or retraction.
- Strikes expire, on no published schedule. It depends on factors including when the strike was issued and the account's standing.
- Copyright School removes one strike, once every 12 months, but only if Twitch invites you by email or a banner on twitch.tv.
- Your count is in the Video Producer (Creator Dashboard, then Content). Other platforms: copyright strikes.
Not a DMCA strike
- A muted section of a VOD, from Twitch's automatic audio recognition.
- A Copyright Audio Warning email about audio in your VODs.
- Neither counts toward termination.
A DMCA strike
- Follows a complete notification from a rights holder or their agent.
- Twitch emails you the claimant's name, the rights holder and a contact email.
- Counts toward the three-strike limit unless retracted or counter-noticed.
The first 24 hours
In order. Deletion can't be undone, so read it all first.
Retraction or counter-notification
Send toThe claimant, at the email in Twitch’s notice
- Result
- The notice doesn’t qualify for a strike, and Twitch may restore the content.
- Won’t
- Happen unless the claimant agrees and emails Twitch from the address they filed from.
- Good to know
- Best when the claimant made a mistake or you hold a licence they didn’t know about. Low risk.
Send toTwitch, by email to [email protected]
- Result
- Disputed notices generally don’t count as strikes unless and until the dispute is resolved.
- Won’t
- Stay private: your legal name, email, postal address and phone go to the claimant.
- Good to know
- For removals by mistake or misidentification. The claimant can sue to keep the content down.
What the counter-notification needs
- The URLs of the removed material, the claimant's name and your channel name.
- Your full legal name, email, postal address and phone number.
- Consent to the federal district court where you live, or where Twitch is if you live outside the US.
- A signed statement, under penalty of perjury, that the removal was a mistake or misidentification.
Twitch's online form doesn't take counter-notifications. A representative such as a lawyer can submit one to keep your details from the claimant.
US law restores material 10 to 14 business days after a valid counter-notice unless the claimant says they have sued (timeline). Twitch only says it may restore recorded content; some can't be, due to age or format. Abusive notice? See false DMCA takedowns.
Clean up old VODs and clips in bulk
Past broadcasts expire (Twitch's on-demand guide): 7 days for most streamers, 14 for Affiliates, 60 for Partners and Prime or Turbo users. Highlights, uploads and clips don't, so the risk sits there.
Clips
In the Clips Manager (Creator Dashboard, then Content, then Clips), per Twitch's clips guide:
- Some clips: tick each one, then Delete Selected.
- One broadcast: on Clips of My Channel, the moderation menu has Delete All Clips From Video. The precise fix for one problem stream.
- Everything: the three-dot menu above the table has Delete All Clips of My Channel.
Unfeature a featured clip before deleting it. Anyone with the Editor role can mass-delete clips for you.
VODs, highlights and uploads
In the Video Producer, delete up to 20 at a time or all at once, or unpublish in bulk to review first. There's no bulk download, and deleted videos can't be restored.
Safer music options on Twitch
Twitch says not to play recorded music without the rights or permission. A streaming subscription may license you to listen, not to share.
- Soundtrack by Twitch has gone. Launched in 2020, its shutdown was announced in June 2023 and the API withdrawn on 17 July 2023.
- Licensed libraries. Music Options for Streamers lists Chillhop Music, NCS, Outertone, Pretzel, StreamBeats and Monstercat Gold at the time of writing. Check the licence covers VODs and clips, whether monetised channels must credit artists, and what happens to past content if you unsubscribe.
- The DJ Program licenses a large major-label and independent catalogue for live DJ sets. You share earnings with rights holders, and VODs, highlights and uploads are disabled in the DJs category. Twitch suggests a separate channel if DJing isn't your main content.
- Game audio. If you aren't sure the music is covered, Twitch's 2020 guidance suggests muting game audio or turning off in-game music.
FAQs
How many DMCA strikes before Twitch bans you?
Three. An account with three copyright strikes is a repeat infringer and is terminated. Twitch can act sooner for separate Terms of Service violations.
Do Twitch DMCA strikes expire?
Yes, but Twitch publishes no fixed period: it depends on factors including when the strike was issued and the account's standing. Completing Copyright School when invited removes one strike, once every 12 months.
Is a muted VOD a DMCA strike?
No. Twitch's audio recognition mutes copyrighted audio automatically, and neither that nor a Copyright Audio Warning is a DMCA notification. A strike only follows a rights holder's notification.
Does deleting the VOD or clip remove the strike?
No. A strike counts unless Twitch receives a retraction from the claimant or a complete counter-notification from you. Deleting other content with the same music does stop it becoming new notices.
Where do I send a Twitch DMCA counter-notification?
Email it to [email protected]; Twitch's online form only accepts notifications. The required contents are in Twitch's DMCA Guidelines.
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