Twitch has introduced parental controls that let guardians link their accounts with those of teenage users and, for the first time, block them from livestreaming altogether. The move gives parents significantly more oversight of how 13- to 17-year-olds use the platform, addressing concerns about minors broadcasting content, being contacted privately by strangers, and encountering age-inappropriate material through search or recommendations.

Once linked via the Family Center page in Account Settings, parents can disable Twitch's private messaging feature (Whispers), set flexible daily time limits across all of a teen's devices, and filter out content carrying labels such as Gambling, Mature-Rated Game or Sexual Themes. They will also receive a weekly email summarising their teen's activity, including channels watched and hours spent on the platform. Linked accounts are automatically unlinked once the user turns 18, and Twitch says the controls are optional for now, with further features planned in future.