Turn Follower Only Off!
- Why you should turn follower-only mode off, and how it harms you more than protects you.
- PUBLISHED: 04-July-2025
- PAGE VIEWS: 6
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What is follower-only mode?
Follower-only mode is a setting on Twitch that requires users to follow your channel before they can chat.
It’s often used to prevent people from spamming and trolling from disrupting the chat experience. Many streamers use it as an added layer of protection, ensuring that only people who are genuinely interested in their content can interact.
Additionally, it can help reduce the number of bots that post links selling some sort of con. You can even set it to require a minimum follow time, which helps filter out people who follow just to troll.
These features are there to help protect your community. I fully understand why people use it - I’ve used it myself in the past to stop game spoilers and other issues.
Why You Should Turn It Off
Turning off follower-only mode can be a game-changer for your channel. While I understand why people use it, I also recognize that as a white male, there are certain things that just don’t get said or don’t happen to me on stream. I’m also not openly public about my sexuality, so the assumption is that I’m straight. This isn’t me confirming or denying anything - that part of my life is still private.
I’m saying this to acknowledge that I have a privilege many others don’t, which makes it easier for me to just say “Turn it off” without worrying about the consequences.
That said, I still strongly advise turning it off. Here’s why:
It Stunts Growth
Follower-only mode can significantly limit your channel’s growth. When new viewers join your stream, they may hesitate to follow if they can’t interact with the chat first. This leads to missed opportunities for engagement and community building.
It can also deter other streamers from raiding you. Personally, I tend not to raid people who have this setting on, and I know many creators feel the same way. It may also cause a much higher drop-off rate when you do get raided, as people won’t be able to interact with you right away.
It Comes Across as Desperate
Some people see follower-only mode as a form of begging for followers. It can come across as desperate or unwelcoming, turning off potential viewers who might have otherwise stuck around and engaged. If you want to grow your channel, make it easy for people to interact.
It’s a Barrier to Entry
Requiring a follow to chat is just an extra step most new viewers don’t want to take. People tend not to engage when there’s any kind of barrier in place. This makes your stream less interactive and can hurt your growth in the long run.
How to Stay Safe Without It
- Use Streaming Tools – Tools like Streamer.bot let you set up commands and automation to help keep you safe. If you ever feel unsafe, you can still temporarily turn follower-only mode back on. You can also use it to automatically moderate chat, ban spam users, or react to offensive behavior.
- Use Chat Filters – Twitch has built-in chat filters to block offensive language and reduce spam.
- Use Chat Bots – Bots like sery_bot can auto-ban spam bots that post links or malicious messages. In most cases, it happens so fast you won’t even notice.
- Use Moderators – A solid team of mods can help keep your chat safe and enjoyable for everyone. They handle spam, trolls, and disruptive users. Choose your mods wisely - you’re trusting them with a big responsibility. #TrustTheMods
Doing all these things helps you stay safe without relying on follower-only mode as a default. Hopefully, turning it off will help you grow in your space.
Final Thoughts
The most important thing to remember is: if you want to turn follower-only mode on, you can. If you want to keep it on, that’s also completely fine. I’m not here to tell you what to do - I’m just sharing my opinion and advice.
It’s your stream and your space. Do what makes you feel comfortable.
This isn’t an attack on anyone using follower-only mode. I just want to show the other side of the argument and why it might be worth reconsidering. As long as you take other precautions, you should be able to feel safe without it.
That said, no method is perfect. Even with follower-only mode enabled, trolls and bots can still find ways in.
Ultimately, it’s up to you, but if you have it on, I’d encourage you to at least consider turning it off. I genuinely believe the reward outweighs the risk.