What is stream sniping?
Stream sniping is when a viewer maliciously targets and hijacks a stream. This is usually done with the intention to insert themselves into the livestream and derail it. The viewer will use the stream to their (unfair) advantage to bother, troll, or even harass the streamer. There are many ways that stream sniping can manifest. Below are just a few examples: Someone joins the same lobby as a streamer in a Battle Royale game, then uses the stream to track the streamer down and kill them. A viewer (or several viewers) get on the same party as a streamer in a first-person shooter and purposefully play very poorly so the streamer can't win the match. Someone uses a stream to find out where the streamer is located in an MMORPG, and sends them harassing messages in the game. A viewer gets on the same team as a streamer in a multiplayer game with voice chat and shouts things against the streaming service's Terms of Service to get the streamer banned.
Stream sniping can also occur when streamers are streaming in public. This is called "IRL stream sniping" (IRL means "in real life"). The stream snipers may or may not use the stream to locate where the streamer is streaming (as the streamer may have announced they were doing a public stream at a specific location), but they do try to hijack the stream without the consent of the streamer.
Is stream sniping bad?
Overall, stream sniping is bad etiquette—and can even be harmful. At its most benign, stream sniping is annoying. However, stream sniping can very easily cause harm if a stream sniper harasses a streamer, says something to get a streamer in trouble with the streaming service, or causes the streamer to lose viewers.
Sometimes, stream sniping has good intentions. For example, a group of people might use a streamer's livestream to find them in game and surprise them with a virtual flash mob or an outpouring of support. However, despite the potential good intentions, stream sniping is considered a bad thing to do by the livestreaming community.
Stream sniping is not allowed on most major streaming services. According to Twitch's Community Guidelines, stream sniping is "deliberate, non-consensual in-game stream sniping, including using another person’s stream to gain a competitive advantage in a multiplayer game and disrupt their broadcast", and it's a bannable offense.
How to Prevent Stream Sniping
Set a delay interval. Most streamers want to have their streams as close to real-time as possible so they can appropriately engage with their chat. Unfortunately, this also makes stream sniping incredibly easy. To combat this, you can add a delay to your stream in either your streaming software (OBS, Streamlabs, XSplit, etc.) or in your streaming service settings. How you do this varies depending on what streaming software or service you use. However, the approximate locations will likely be similar to where OBS and Twitch have this option: In OBS, go to Settings > Advanced > Stream Delay. On Twitch, go to Stream Manager > Preferences > Channel.
Don't add "TTV" to your username. Many streamers will add "TTV" (Twitch TV) to their username to help grow their audience. However, this might make you a target of stream snipers. If possible, change your username to remove the TTV. If a game allows you to write a bio or status message, avoid putting your stream link there as well.
Hide any identifiable information. Some games have the option to hide your username/character name, server name, location, player icon, or emblem. If so, take advantage of these settings to hide this information so stream snipers won't be able to find you.
Use the overlay. Your stream overlay can be used to hide your server name, mini-map, and/or in-game chat to further deter stream snipers from finding you in game.
Be careful about advertising IRL streams. While it can be really fun and very rewarding to meet your fans, advertising where you're going to be doing an IRL stream also extends an invitation to stream snipers. Consider sharing this location only with certain fans (i.e. those subscribed to a Patreon page). Also, make sure you always have someone you trust with you when doing an IRL stream for safety reasons.
Report the stream snipers. If you manage to catch a stream sniper in the act, make sure you report them both in the game as well as to the streaming service (i.e. Twitch or YouTube). Stream sniping is a reportable—and sometimes bannable—offense, as it's considered harassment or toxic behavior.
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