JPMorgan, AT&T and Dunkin’ Donuts withdraw from streaming platform critics call ‘antisemitic hellscape’; move follows backlash over pro-Palestinian streamer with 3M followers who denied Oct. 7 atrocities and shared content linked to terrorist groups
Major U.S. companies, including JPMorgan, AT&T and Dunkin’ Donuts, have ceased advertising on Amazon-owned Twitch following reports that the streaming platform has allowed antisemitic content to flourish. The move follows investigations accusing Twitch of failing to curb hate speech effectively.
At the center of the controversy is Hasan Piker, a Turkish-American streamer with nearly 3 million followers who describes himself as a political commentator and supporter of “Palestinian emancipation.”
While Piker claims to oppose antisemitism and targets Israeli policies, critics accuse him of promoting hateful narratives, including equating Zionism with fascism and hosting individuals linked to extremist groups, such as Yemen’s Houthis.
Piker faced further backlash after defending Hamas fighters following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, denying allegations of atrocities. Despite violating community guidelines, Piker reportedly earns tens of thousands of dollars in ad revenue and has been praised by Twitch CEO Dan Clancy for his outspoken approach.
Twitch, which boasts more than 240 million active users, has attempted to tighten content policies, including banning the use of “Zionist” as a slur and labeling political content as sensitive to enhance advertiser control.
However, viral campaigns against the platform, including videos branding it an “antisemitic hellscape” and targeted harassment of Twitch executives, have added fuel to the fire. Twitch has condemned threats against its staff, calling such actions “unacceptable.”
Despite measures to balance free speech and ad safety, several major advertisers have taken action. AT&T and Dunkin’ Donuts have removed their ads entirely, while energy giant Chevron, which operates in Israel, announced it is reconsidering sponsorship of the platform’s TwitchCon event following a controversial panel where participants ranked streamers on their “love for Arabs.”
The lowest ranking was nicknamed “Sabra lover,” referencing a hummus brand formerly owned by Israel’s Strauss Group. Twitch suspended the panelists, calling their remarks “offensive and inconsistent with company values,” but the reputational damage lingered.
Twitch has received some support from organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which awarded it a top score of “B” for its efforts to combat hate speech compared to other social media platforms.
However, the ADL also filed a formal complaint over Piker’s content, which resulted in a warning but no suspension. Piker remains one of Twitch’s most-watched streamers, with over 312,000 viewers tuning into his channel during election coverage.
As reported by Ynetnews