Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has addressed allegations of favoritism after streamer FaZe Lacy’s account was reinstated shortly after being hacked. The controversy arose when Lacy’s channel, which had been hijacked to broadcast inappropriate content, was unbanned in record time, sparking debates about Twitch’s impartiality.
On January 4, FaZe Lacy’s Twitch stream took an unexpected turn as hackers seized control of his account, displaying offensive material. The incident prompted Twitch to swiftly ban the channel to prevent further damage. Lacy quickly informed his audience on Twitter, saying, “I am hacked, I have no access to my account and can’t end my stream. Working on it now sorry for anyone who is seeing this disgusting stuff.”
However, the situation took a dramatic turn when fellow FaZe member ‘Jasontheween’ got in touch with Twitch CEO Dan Clancy. In just over 30 minutes, Lacy’s channel was unbanned—a speed that drew criticism from some in the community, accusing Twitch of showing favoritism.
Responding to a post on X (formerly Twitter), Clancy clarified his role in the incident and denied any special treatment for Lacy.
“For clarity, I did not do anything. Jason told me Lacy’s account had been hacked. I told him to get Lacy to contact his SPM (Strategic Partner Manager), which Lacy was already doing. (Lacy was talking to them while Jason was talking to me),” Clancy explained.
He went on to emphasize that Twitch was already working to take down the compromised stream and restore Lacy’s account before his involvement, adding, “So no special treatment from me.”
The rapid resolution of Lacy’s case has drawn comparisons to similar situations, such as Twitch streamer DavyJones in 2023. Like Lacy, DavyJones faced a ban after hackers hijacked his channel. However, it took several hours before his account was reinstated, leading some to question the consistency of Twitch’s response times.
While Clancy’s explanation sheds light on the process behind Lacy’s reinstatement, debates around Twitch’s handling of high-profile streamers and allegations of favoritism continue to stir conversations within the community. For now, the platform remains under scrutiny as users call for more transparency and uniformity in its enforcement policies.