The entertainment industry, once primarily comprised of television and movies, has evolved as technological advances have been made, creating the interesting combination of reality and video games. Live streaming has created a unique avenue for other gamers who want to get a glimpse of a specific title, learn more about a certain streamer, or a combination of both. Because of this, streaming has developed a new wave of celebrity figures.
Some of the most popular streamers, such as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, have continued to score massive sponsorships, and are even producing widespread products. Ninja’s brand can even be found in the form of clothes and toys at mainstream brick and mortar stores such as Walmart.
However, the line between gamer and celebrity has begun to blur, especially as streaming platforms encourage a more personal connection between the streamer and viewer. Should the streamer produce emotional boundaries between themselves and their viewers? When does a conversation go too far?
As a streamer myself, I often think about the topics that appear in chat when I’m online. Moderators are important here because I, as well as every other streamer, have rules in order to protect myself and my viewers. Hate speech of any kind will result in a ban, and I don’t want people to latch onto topics related to politics and religion. Otherwise, everything else (within reason) is fair game. I’m also an advocate of mental health and often enjoy discussing topics within that spectrum; however, when is it appropriate to shut down a conversation that has morphed into something that could be harmful?
I’m not a therapist. I enjoy psychology, temporarily went to school for it, and I love to talk about the variety of subjects that exist within it. However, my stream is ultimately about video games, and while talking and relating to other people is one of my biggest goals as a streamer, I can’t give out medical advice. I’m not properly or legally trained for that.
How do you approach the idea of saying no to someone who might desperately need help? Can you turn them away? What are the ethical obligations in this situation?
My immediate reaction is to reach out to the person, but this may not be possible for some streamers for a variety of reasons. Could reaching out to this person ignite an unhealthy connection? What if the streamer is also struggling with their own mental health issues? A streamer who already feels emotionally vulnerable is not going to have the mental capacity to carry the problems of another, unfamiliar person.
However, some people believe that offering hotlines feels too impersonal and is ultimately a way to shrug off the situation. In addition, avoiding a person who has specifically searched you out as a confidante could force an uncomfortable situation to spiral into something dangerous, particularly when self-harm is threatened.
Some streamers offer tools to their viewers such as links to a variety of help hotlines and even chat rooms dedicated to offering and locating healthy resources. Creating safe spaces is an important mission for a lot of streamers, but where is the line drawn?
When you attract an audience in a live stream, you open the door for diversity and a plethora of personality. People who become regulars may start to see you as less of an entertainer and more like a friend, something that could be positive for your channel, but negative for your own health.
A thread on Reddit addressed this problem, the author revealing that the issue had started to bleed into social media outside of streaming as well. “I know how to handle one person but when its quite a few of my regulars I feel like saying that I don’t want to talk about that sort of topic with them will lead to me losing a bunch of regulars. I’m curious on your guys thoughts about this and what you have done or haven’t done to keep a line between entertainer and therapist.”
Others have argued that creating a safe space for struggling viewers is an incredible achievement, something I agree with as well, but there has to be a time when saying, “No,” is appropriate. Should we, as streamers, be allowed to ask these viewers to back off without worrying about isolation and alienating a potential audience? Or because of our platform, are we automatically obligated to perform at a higher level, and embrace the pedestal we may have been forced to stand on?
This is an issue I have no answer to, and I’m sincerely unsure how I would even address it.