Could someone explain twitch please?

[Inbedbynine]

My 10 year old wants it... Iv looked at it but worried about it. He thinks it’s just like you tube and I can put restrictions on it?

It's a live streaming platform website in which people livestream themselves playing games or other activities such as making stuff and just generally chatting. Go on the website and have a look through it is the best advice I can give.

There's a lot of swearing, but nothing offensive is allowed

So what is his reasoning for wanting it? Cause it'd probably be better setting up a YouTube channel and he can upload what he wants and if he wants to do a live stream he can. I just think twitch is for more serious gamers and cosplayers.

As a viewer or a streamer? Because at age 10 he can't, it's against the TOS. As a viewer it's very different to youtube as it's live. It's basically a platform for many different types of people to stream gameplay and other things, you can search for a game or a game genre and watch who is live or view past broadcasts. There is non-gaming too, I've watched people creating intricate armour pieces, blow glass with the whole furnace and anvil and all that. Cosplayers stream making costumes, I watched a DJ create music using computer programs and there is a just talking section for podcast style content. Many gaming conventions and awards and all sorts now stream, even politicians are signing up.

But, for the most of it it is live and definitely needs consideration. I've seen people pass out on stream, people accidentally leave their stream going when they think it's ended and broadcast conversations. Swearing and drunkeness and some truly toxic people, as well as some lovely family friendly content. There is a warning when you go into a stream if it's aimed at over 18s (language and choice of game, no nudity or anything) but that is literally click to show you've read it. There are no ways to set restrictions or anything, no section for family friendly stuff, and having a Twitch account under the age of 12 is against TOS and if mentioned would get the account banned.

Can't stream at age 10, that should start. They are quite strict on this.

No he won’t be streaming I wouldn’t allow that, for watching. The whole ‘everyone has it’ but I had never heard of it and had to google...

Watch with him - it's not reliably child safe, and you will be able to intervene if anything goes wrong.

Not suitable unsupervised.