Image: Twitch/Dr. Disrespect
Guy Beahm, better known on Twitch as Dr DisRespect, got his E3 badge revoked after streaming from a bathroom at the event, the Electronic Software Association—the group that runs E3—confirmed to VICE. Beahm’s Twitch channel remains suspended and “unavailable.” Kotaku first reported the story last night.During a June 11 broadcast from E3 in Los Angeles, California, Beahm hosted his first “IRL” stream. Instead of streaming from behind a computer and playing a video game like he typically does, a camera followed Beahm around the convention. Beahm entered the bathroom with the livestream rolling, broadcasting E3 attendees using urinals. Shortly after, Beahm’s stream went down and his channel became unavailable. Twitch did not say it banned Beahm for streaming from the public bathroom, and it’s unclear how long Twitch’s suspension will last. Neither Beahm nor Twitch have responded to VICE’s request for more information.Filming people in a bathroom is likely a violation of California’s privacy laws. These laws prohibit people from filming or viewing others through a “camera, motion picture camera, camcorder, or mobile phone” in areas “in which the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy,” including bathrooms. This is a misdemeanor violation of California law.Breaking the law is also against Twitch’s terms of service, as is the “unauthorized sharing of private information.” In its TOS, Twitch states that “sharing content that violates another’s reasonable expectation of privacy, for example streaming from a private space, without permission,” is not acceptable.Beahm, a former game designer turned streamer, is one of Twitch’s most popular broadcasters. (In 2017, he won the “Trending Gamer” award from the Video Game Awards.) After taking a few months off after winning the award, he resumed his over-the-top streams, which include calling out both viewers and developers. Despite controversy—including speaking in a fake Asian language created to mock Chinese players in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds—this is Beahm’s first ban by Twitch. (He has previously been banned from PUBG, though.)