"N3on and Roshtein ain't going to like this one": Community reacts as Kick updates anti-botting guidelines

Only a few days since a Kick streamer got banned for showcasing his botting software, the Stake-backed streaming platform has updated its guidelines regarding using bots to artificially increase a channel's viewership. As one of the biggest competitors to Twitch, the relatively new website has gained a lot of popularity since its launch back in 2022 despite several controversies.

A recent recurring theme in the Kick space has been the prevalence of streamers getting accused of using bots and botting to fake their live viewer numbers. So much so that after the news about the new anti-botting guidelines went around, many started trolling creators such as Rangesh "N3on" and others, with one X user saying this in response to the new rules:

Viewbotting is quite a serious issue in the streaming industry and has become a highly debated topic in the community. Even popular streamers on Kick, such as Adin Ross, have talked about getting view-botted. In December 2023, the co-owner of the streaming platform acknowledged it in a clip from the Scuffed Podcast where Adin can be heard saying:

Tampering with statistics as basic as viewership is quite a big deal in the streaming community, especially considering concurrent audience numbers and followers are essential yardsticks to measure a streamer's reach.

Naturally, investors, advertisers, and sponsors need such information before proceeding to make deals with creators, and the rampant use of bots on the platform seems to have finally made changes to their Community Guidelines.

Currently, rule five of the platform's guidelines reads:

Furthermore, it also mentions that the people found to be engaged in such activity will be denied entry into the lucrative Creator Incentive Program:

Naturally