In 2023, Kai Cenat, an award-winning streamer who formerly had the most subscribers on Twitch, has found himself at odds with the Amazon-owned company.
He was suspended on January 26 just before the start of his subathon. Although the cause of his fourth suspension in two years was not stated, it was widely assumed that his on-stream consumption of cannabis treats was to blame. Three days later, the 21-year-old celebrity’s ban was lifted. Since then, though, he has spoken out more against the website and its restrictions. He was incensed when Twitch warned him for breaking their rules by responding to a popular YouTube video featuring iShowSpeed, who was permanently banned from Twitch in December 2021.
He said; “I got a warning, bro, I got a warning. Like, deadass. Like, you can’t even react. Bro, what? Think about it, they’re off your platform and you can’t do nothing live, but you can’t react?”
Kai Cenat reiterated his objections, saying it is “extreme” because broadcasters are unable to respond to people who have been banned from the site. The Speed clip was unimportant, further adding salt to his wounds. He calls rap icon Drake in a two and a half minute video, and Drake comically hangs up on him. But, Twitch’s strict regulation is in place for a reason. It prevents streamers from using the channels of others to purposefully or unintentionally avoid suspensions.
Yet if nothing changes, Kai Cenat might start looking for a new home on a different platform. Adin Ross asserts that this might be true for both himself and other people, suggesting YouTube and Kick as potential solutions.