StreamElements Struggles, Discord Rewards, YouTube Expands Likeness Detection, Maya Higa's TED Talk

Hello and Happy Victoria Day from Canada. It's a holiday here, and the temperatures are in the high 20s! As such, I'm keeping this intro super short so I can ride my bike around the lake and enjoy the sun. It's actually one of the reasons I moved recently - to be able to disconnect from my hyper-online life and touch grass a bit more! So, let's get right into it!

🟪 TWITCH

• Twitch has finally added a series of Pin Chat API endpoints.
• The Monetization for All Update is now rolling out globally. From Day 1, creators will be able to get access to Channel Points, Emotes, Subs, Bits, and more. Note: They cannot cash out until they become an Affiliate.
• The Buy Bits menu has received a visual update, with larger buttons.
• New Hype Train Emotes, inspired by Maya Higa's Alveus Sanctuary.
• Twitchcon Rotterdam hooked Tubbo up with a free booth for his new coffee venture, Peepo's Coffee.
• Twitch is testing cycling through Leaderboards.
• New Badges: 007 First Light ($), WarHammer Darktide ($), Civ VII ($), Brawlhalla ($), Subnautica 2 ($), Hime + Yuzu ($ Turbo), Lego Batman ($), Road to Twitchcon (Watch Time)
• The Head of Amazon Ads sees Twitch as a core part of live sports and entertainment. Ice Spice recently spoke at the Amazon Upfronts about Twitch (an advertising event).
• Twitch CPO Mikey Minty is speaking at Gamesbeat Summit 2026.

🟥 YOUTUBE

• YouTube has started testing Practice Mode for livestreams on Android. This is a solid feature to ensure everything is set up correctly; they announced it late last year.
• Likeness Detection is being expanded to all users aged 18 or older. After you submit a face scan and a government ID, YouTube will scan for your likeness and alert you whenever there are new matches.
• YouTube announced a series of new advertising products at its Brandcast 2026 event, including Google Pay 2-click purchases, custom sponsorships, boosted affiliate partnerships, and AI-powered video capabilities.
• The YouTube Partner Program is now available in Armenia.

⬛ TIKTOK

• TikTok has 30 Creator Correspondents as part of the FIFA World Cup partnership.
• TikTok Go is a new way to discover and book travel experiences in the USA.

🟦 OTHER STREAMERS

• Kick will soon add recommended content to its front page, replacing high-to-low sorting.
• This new extension provides live multilingual captions for Kick streamers. I have not personally checked the extension, nor do I know if there are any safety concerns, so please proceed with caution.