Streamers Concerned for Safety in Wake of Dr Disrespect Shooting
By Zac Cameron ·
Personal safety is increasingly becoming a concern for high-profile streamers and esports figures, as alarming incidents continue to occur.
While many streamers welcome fans with open arms, an increasing amount are becoming more worried about the possible ramifications of being to open to the public. With the recent shooting at a Madden tournament in Jacksonville, FL, and popular Twitch Streamer Dr Disrespect’s home being targeted in an apparent shooting, more and more streamers are expressing their unease with attending events and interacting with fans.
Popular streamer Ellohime spoke out on Twitter shortly after the Dr Disrespect incident, stating on Twitter that “I may not attend Twitchcon. This is a difficult decision (and I am still thinking hard on it) but I just wanted to get this out there. Dont feel safe in America.” A longer follow-up message from Ellohime explained his stance on the matter, saying that “I know the dangers, so I am avoiding them.”
1) I feel like I have to clarify my last tweet... pic.twitter.com/QngDoDoZhc
— Ellohime (@EllohimeTwitch) September 12, 2018
Twitch issued a statement earlier today regarding the state of current events, stating that “Our highest priority at TwitchCon is attendee safety and security. We want to assure you that we are adding additional security measures on top of past event measures.”
Our highest priority at TwitchCon is attendee safety and security. We want to assure you that we are adding additional security measures on top of past event measures. We will have more detailed information on TwitchCon security in the coming days so stay tuned!
— TwitchCon 2018 (@TwitchCon) September 12, 2018
More streamers reached out to Kotaku to talk about how they felt regarding the situation, with many expressing their fear of similar situations occurring to them or their loved ones. Moe, a streamer and content creator consultant, explained that streamers are facing the realities of celebrity culture without any of the protections. “I think the big issue with Twitch/YouTube content creators and security is that they’re essentially mini-celebrities, but without the knowledge and caution that actual Hollywood celebrities have,” he said. “They typically live in normal neighborhoods with their neighbors often not even knowing who they are. Yet they absolutely are celebrities, just one step below Hollywood actors and pop stars.”
At the end of the day, it seems that streamers might have to face the sad reality of creating distance between themselves and their fans, if only to avoid situations where misguided fans mistake common interactions for something more.