Co-Founder of Kick Challenges Twitch Over Alleged Double Standards after HasanAbi is Reinstated
In an unexpected twist of events, HasanAbi, a high-profile Twitch streamer known for his political commentary and a massive follower base of 2.8 million, found himself in hot water following a controversial comment about a U.S. Senator in March 2025. Durng a live stream, HasanAbi bluntly suggested that if individuals truly cared about Medicare or Medicaid fraud, they should "kill" Senator Rick Scott, previously the governor of Florida. This statement led to a one-day suspension of his account, sparking debate as to whether he infringed upon his right to free speech or incited violence.
Notably, another popular Twitch personality, Adin Ross, served a lengthy ban of two years for "unmoderated chat" issues. In contrast, HasanAbi's brief suspension highlights Twitch's inconsistent approach to addressing different types of content violations. The platform's policies prohibit harassment and the creation of hostile environments, and streamers who fail to keep their chat in check can face severe repercussions like the extended ban given to Adin Ross.
Kick co-founder Bijan Tehrani chimed in on the topic, expressing his dismay over Twitch's double standards. Tehrani pointed out that popular streamer xQc had the clout to call out Twitch, likening the treatment he received to the Hasan situation, which he found comical.
The controversy surrounding HasanAbi's comment eventually died down, with the streamer later retracting his statements and expressing a commitment to be more mindful of his words moving forward. Despite the brief suspension and criticism from his peers, HasanAbi remains a prominent figure on Twitch.
Lawmakers might question Twitch's unbanning decision for HasanAbi, given the one-day suspension following a controversial statement and the lengthy ban for Adin Ross. Bijan Tehrani, a notable figure in the social-media industry, highlighted a possible inconsistency in Twitch's approach to content violations, comparing the treatment of HasanAbi to that of xQc. HasanAbi, known for his political commentary, entertainment, and sports-analysis on Twitch, remains popular despite the controversy surrounding his comment that sparked debate on free speech and incitement of violence.
