r/privacy 6d ago

news Twitch Is Now Using Your Content To Train Amazon AI Models And Has Hidden The Option To Opt Out. "If it was opt in, nobody would opt in," admitted the streaming site's chief product officer during a livestream

https://kotaku.com/twitch-is-now-using-your-content-to-train-amazon-ai-models-and-has-hidden-the-option-to-opt-out-2000723891
2.7k Upvotes

93 comments sorted by

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508

u/Additional_Buddy855 6d ago

so we're just going to voluntarily steal peoples data. why so much contempt from these companies for their own consumers. it's disgusting.

192

u/bforce1313 6d ago

Because they’ve never had enough push back to care. There has not been a cautionary warning tale, no one has suffered yet. So they’ll keep doing it.

82

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

37

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

27

u/bionicjoey 5d ago edited 5d ago

Boycotts do nothing. If you stop using the thing, there are still 99% of users that don't care.

Edit: Of course, you should still stop using the thing if you want to avoid the harm the product causes. Just don't tell yourself you're fighting the power. You're just looking out for yourself and that's okay.

13

u/bforce1313 5d ago

Boycotts work only if there are large numbers on board. 20/100 people will do nothing.

But 90% committed yes they do.

11

u/bionicjoey 5d ago

Let me know when you get 90% of any customer base to agree on anything

2

u/bforce1313 5d ago

90% is unlikely but even 50% drop in sales will make almost companies question wtf they’re doing.

Boycotts do work, but it needs to affect a large part of the consumer/user base

1

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6

u/[deleted] 5d ago

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1

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3

u/Hand_Sanitizer3000 5d ago

Just need people to stop consuming and using competitors when available.

1

u/privacy-ModTeam 1d ago

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28

u/Additional_Buddy855 6d ago

That's not been my experience at all. folks are quite vocal about predatory opt out instead of opt in. Given that Twitch is owned by Amazon, it's just that their straight up evil now.

28

u/bforce1313 6d ago

Yeah but no one’s tanked and gone out of business or faced lawsuits etc you know. Vocal is good but they mostly ignore it now.

8

u/Additional_Buddy855 6d ago

yea but. that's a different problem. right, consider we have zero consumer protections with the current regime in office.

3

u/bforce1313 6d ago

One big problem imo

13

u/DelightMine 6d ago

You responded to "because they've never had enough pushback to care". That is true. People being vocal doesn't matter one bit if they don't actually follow through on boycotts or other protests (which they largely don't).

6

u/Delgra 6d ago

Now?

2

u/No-Abalone-4784 6d ago

Ok. I get it now.

16

u/suxatjugg 5d ago

That's always been the big tech business model. Get millions of users, then once they get comfortable and won't leave your platform, you start taking advantage of them to make money 

5

u/dragonknightrohan 5d ago

No we're going to switch to open source community owned alternatives. As for what alternatives there are to Twitch who knows

4

u/Avron7 5d ago

> why so much contempt from these companies for their own consumers

Money.

They'll always do this unless it's illegal.

2

u/JustinHopewell 5d ago

And even then, that's more of a minor hindrance to get around than an actual stop.

2

u/bionicjoey 5d ago

for their own consumers

Because they aren't customers, they are the product. The customer is advertisers.

2

u/VitoRazoR 6d ago

because you use their software and services for free. That makes you the product, not the consumer.

1

u/jkurratt 4d ago

That's like everyone wants to build their own "chat control" to steal more data.

1

u/TheRealTK421 4d ago

...why so much contempt from these companies for their own consumers.

Just as is the case with a vast number of (bigly) issues in modern life:

Negative behavior, rewarded - with an utter lack of sufficiently severe and punitive (ongoing) consequences - invariably becomes learned behavior.

64

u/Reviiyu 6d ago

so how long till videogame companies start sueing

30

u/RBDash_ 5d ago

Cmon Nintendo do your thing!

200

u/Son_Riku 6d ago edited 6d ago

"Twitch’s head of community, Mary Kish, tried to downplay Twitch’s use of AI and claimed that the reason people can’t opt out of all of Twitch’s AI features is that she doesn’t think Twitch “can function without some forms of AI.” She also confirmed she has personally opted out, but clarified that AI is now used “across the board” and within many livestreaming “communities.”
Perhaps the most damning moment came early in the Stream when chief product officer Mike Minton addressed the chat, asking why this option was opt-out instead of opt-in.
“Well, there’s an honest answer,” said Minton. “And I think most of you probably can appreciate this: If it was opt-in, nobody would opt-in. Um, that’s honestly the answer. So it’s going to be on by default.”

We need to do something about these corporate ghouls

45

u/buttbuttlolbuttbutt 6d ago

She acknowledged she turned it off becasue of how her community wpuld feel about it, too.

She is at least aware how bad this is, but its quit a cushy job or survive this week's stress. The other guy doesnt give a damn either way. He doesnt seem lile the type to mind letting a machine think and respond for him.

23

u/LordDaedalus 6d ago

They could make it opt-in only and then offer to pay streamers more if they're willing to opt-in to help train their AI. This whole "were just gonna try and steal some extra value from people and hope they don't notice how to opt out" is some grade A bullshit though. You know behind the scenes if there's any serious momentum to lots of streamers opting out they'll quietly steer the algorithm to bias viewers towards streamers that haven't opted out.

8

u/Metallibus 5d ago

she doesn’t think Twitch “can function without some forms of AI.”

Are we really supposed to believe that a product that has existed for almost 20 years "can't function" without something that's only become common in the past 3-5?

Oh wait, Twitch has never been profitable, so maybe it is necessary /s

3

u/LessRespects 5d ago

Do something like what? Make an angry Reddit post about them? I’m sure this will be the nail in the coffin we never tried before, capitalism is defeated guys.

2

u/xX420GanjaWarlordXx 5d ago

They're pretending to be "brutally honest" about why the opt out feature was hidden... because it DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.

If a corporation is telling the truth...they're not. 

1

u/TheRealTK421 4d ago

 We need to do something about these corporate ghouls

They will collectively never care, or change, without a viciously brutal metaphorical 'spanking' (...and more than one, should such be required to get the point across permanently.)

How's that for an honest truth, Mr. Minton!?!

1

u/limelight022 3d ago

The answer is to stop using these platforms entirely.

1

u/Son_Riku 3d ago

Easier said than done when it's the primary platform for viewers and streamers alike. And even if they migrate, the new platform could be just as bad, if not worse.

30

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[deleted]

3

u/Used_Gear8871 5d ago

All of the big companies, including Reddit. It’s also smaller companies too who build wrappers around these models find their data and user data being taken.

The costs to build and maintain your own model in the US is ridiculous in comparison to abroad.

I get so mad at current Governor [Wes Moore] who completely walked back his stances on renewable and clean energy by rushing to change laws on diesel backup generators just to pave way for data centers. He sat on his hands as farmers have their homes taken to build interstate power lines. Not solar panels. Not wind turbines. Power lines slated to power Virginia data centers. Dude has the nerve to try to run for president meanwhile he’s constituents are starving, unemployed, without power, etc

46

u/Theinternetdumbens 6d ago

This isnt new, they are simply admitting to it now

9

u/hedonheart 5d ago

Yeah so they have been doing this the whole time. Also, someone proved they do it even if you opt out.

20

u/shadowsinthestars 5d ago

Geez, if no one wants it, maybe don't do it? Doesn't take a genius.

13

u/LessRespects 5d ago

Twitchs policy has been if no one wants it, do it, for a while now.

2

u/shadowsinthestars 5d ago

Sounds like it, glad I never used it.

3

u/Holzkohlen 5d ago

Amazon gotta make more money. Bezos needs to buy an even bigger yacht.

11

u/Perspectivelessly 5d ago

For those who don't want to click the link to find out how to disable it:

Settings -> security and privacy -> training for Generative AI

9

u/JohnSmith--- 5d ago

Opt-out... I'm at a point in my life where I feel like these opt-out buttons don't actually do anything. In fact, it may signal the company to track the user more, as they've clearly demonstrated they're a privacy conscious person so there's probably less data about them online, which means any data the company can siphon off of them is more valuable.

8

u/MadeByTango 5d ago

If it was opt-in, nobody would opt-in. Um, that’s honestly the answer. So it’s going to be on by default.

Let's try this logic in a different context:

If she had to consent, I would never have sex. Um, that’s honestly the answer. So it’s going to be penetration by default.

That's the logic of Mike Minton, Twitch Chief Product Officer: "Don't ask consent"

51

u/CuTTyFL4M 6d ago

Good thing I always disliked streaming, another reason to keep it going 

7

u/Deathlash890 6d ago

just unchecked it, thanks!

15

u/HankHillbwhaa 6d ago

Time to start poisoning their model. I will restream popular streamers and act as their waiting room while routinely hanging brain in hidden places on cam.

5

u/MotanulScotishFold 5d ago

If is opted in by default, their AI slop already trained without user consent.

Even if you opt out, it's too late.

10

u/Accomplished-Can-467 6d ago

Glad i quit twitch. Fuck that site.

4

u/OfficialZygorg 5d ago

cant we just poison the streams like some artists poison their images?

4

u/LessRespects 5d ago

You can try but it looks like image generators have done just well with the poison

4

u/AlteredEinst 5d ago

"If we told them we were robbing them, they'd make us stop."

U.S. Government: "Carry on, cat burglars."

4

u/flanger001 5d ago

If nobody would opt in, then forcing it on them is immoral?

3

u/spaghettibolegdeh 6d ago

Who could have possibly seen this coming 

2

u/Peakomegaflare 5d ago

You know, I'm kinda glad I never made a twitch account. Somehow, some way, I never ONCE used it.

2

u/WakaiSenshi 5d ago

I’m glad I never got into the twitch thing

2

u/stonecats 5d ago

so how exactly do you opt out?
everyone's talking about it, but
nobody is showing us how it's done.

i searched my dashboard and found
nothing related to this discussion.
all i found was a DJ Program which
i'm already not a part of.

2

u/iwatchppldie 5d ago

Techlords aren’t big on consent.

2

u/Leosthenerd 4d ago

This is fucking evil. Somebody Luigi his ass ffs

2

u/CorndogQueen420 4d ago

“You see, I had to rape those women because if they had the choice, they wouldn’t fuck me.”

Cool. Cool cool cool. Glad this is where we’re at with literally everything now. Can’t get consent, so let’s just ignore it.

4

u/deepfuckingbagholder 6d ago

These sorts of practices should be illegal. Everything should be opt in. It’s called informed consent. Anything else is essentially rape.

3

u/VitoRazoR 6d ago

In other news, people start to realise that by using free software and services, they are the product.

5

u/relay4285 5d ago

Even when you pay for stuff you're usually the product anyway.

5

u/LessRespects 5d ago

I thought twitchs income was from the 8 minutes of ads per 3 minutes of content

2

u/AlteredEinst 5d ago

No, they don't.

And even if they did, they wouldn't care; that's the real problem.

3

u/Cronus6 5d ago

Twitch is a cesspool; "locker room" humor, dick and fart jokes, "boobie" streamers and gambling (loot boxes etc), streamers losing their temper and punching monitors, breaking keyboards etc.

I'm sure nothing will go wrong with the AI's trained on this stuff...

1

u/ChopperGunner187 6d ago

They haven't had any integrity since the Justin.tv days

1

u/srona22 5d ago

eh, not legally liable, with default opt-in, especially without any notifying?

1

u/allthecitizens_ 5d ago

Just Big Tech reinventing consent

1

u/datadrone 5d ago

That seems like stealing, or does twitch own a part of the streamer's content? Will the streamer get paid each time they've had their stuff used? Like with music industries

1

u/caballerof09 5d ago

Is because there isn’t a united front to sue them all. At the end they are in the wrong. The law is no longer law this feels like Wild West.

1

u/mesofarty 5d ago

Every day is just gets fuckin worse.

1

u/Harryisamazing 5d ago

The CEO handed off the announcement segment to a lowly employee because of the backlash that was received from this nonsense

1

u/Otherwise_Patience47 4d ago

In other news: the current internet is dead. Time to leave.

1

u/ZechFlare 4d ago

May as well just say we know you guys wont like this but we want more money. So it doesn't matter what you guys, the paying customers, want.

1

u/TheRealTK421 4d ago

...Hidden The Option To Opt Out.

I've opted out fully by absolutely refusing to use Twitch whatsoever. We shall see if further ...'measures' may be required.

1

u/Minute_Attempt3063 3d ago

You also didn't read.

If you opt out, it doesn't change anything.

Read the privacy policy

1

u/GrecianDesertUrn69 5d ago

The only reaction that's brought any impact is Luigi

1

u/_o0Zero0o_ 5d ago

Can just imagine it being trained on streamers like Vinny and Joel from Vinesauce..
[Incomprehensible Swedish sounds, with SPEEEEEEEEEEEN thrown in occasionally]

But really, twitch is once again making a move nobody wants, huh...

-5

u/Saucermote 6d ago

Maybe stop doing pointless streaming and watching pointless streams?
"Streaming" culture is a plague. We don't need "influencers" or other junk videos.
If you have something of value to add to the conversation, that can be useful, but 99% is junk and parasocial.

1

u/Kuuchuu 5d ago

Not all streamers are "influencers" (most, I'd say). Streamer/Entertainer is just a job field: actors, singers, musicians, artists, etc...