(WRBL) – As internet and data privacy remain global issues, a popular streaming platform for gamers and online influencers has claimed another victim in its enforcement battle. This time? A 15-year-old streamer from South London, known as AverageHarry.
Harry Benstead is just one of several streamers under 18-years-old who has had their account banned on the ever-popular Twitch platform, owned by Seattle-based Amazon.
The ban came as he applied to become a Twitch partner, a role that would allow him a wider reach on the online platform and could help him earn more revenue through his videos and audience.
Instead, after waiting more than 70 days to hear back about his application, he got locked out and lost his channel because of when he made his account, before he was even 13. The age is an issue because of a recent law in the United States, called the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
The ban happened Jan. 22, 2021 mid podcast with streamer group “On The Fly.” AverageHarry’s channel was indefinitely suspended live, due to COPPA and when he first made his account.
According to the FTC, “COPPA imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age.”
Benstead’s birthday is May 24 whereas his account was created Feb. 18, 2018, because of this AverageHarry was subject to penalty under Twitch’s Terms of Service and COPPA law.
The popular streamer had taken part in two charity live streams, where he raised nearly $11,000 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital in which led to his first viral clip. Since then, he’s become well-known to the front page of the popular subreddit r/livestreamfail, earning more than 25 million views from multiple clips on the forum.
AverageHarry landed a partnership with popular energy drink brand GFuel back in mid 2020 after winning their competition “Gamers Got Talent.” Then, he applied to be a Twitch partner.
He had sent his partner application in to Twitch on Nov. 1, 2020, then heard back from Twitch Jan. 12, 2021.
During this period, AverageHarry gained nearly 50,000 followers.
After waiting more than two months for an answer, and almost doubling his audience, he was banned.
With his account banned, now AverageHarry has to rebuild and is relying on his online popularity and the support of other streamers to help. Harry says the ban would mostly hurt him “for this year or at least the next few months” as he rebuilds his platform.
“You know, being stripped of your platform isn’t very fun, and it’s definitely a very big thing to get over…it will take a very long time for me to build my platform back up.”
Now, the online community is rallying to his defense as he builds himself back up following the account loss.
The issue believed to be at hand in this situation is audience size. There are multiple other Twitch streamers who made accounts when they were just as young as AverageHarry, but with more than 2 million followers, or more, each, Twitch hasn’t banned their accounts.
Streamers who made their accounts too young who have not yet been affected include:
Benstead’s platform was just short of 100,000 followers, putting him in a lower audience bracket. It’s unclear if the audience size matters, but the difference is noticeable, at least according to supporters online.
One his concerns with the entirety of the situation being compared to these larger creators is the impact that this may have on his reputation.
AverageHarry says that “this ban has actually helped me gain a lot more connections with new and bigger content creators”… “But I also don’t want to be known as the kid who got banned for the rest of my life” he thinks “I don’t think this has damaged my reputation, but added something to it.”
In the meantime, he will continue to stream and create new content for his YouTube channel.
AverageHarry can be found on Twitter, Twitch, and Youtube.
As of publication, Twitch has not responded to requests for comment.
You can watch the full interview with AverageHarry below:
