In honor of the recent holiday — April Fools’ — I researched the top 6 common Internet pranks being used on Twitch. For streamers, it can be helpful to avoid them and not learn about them the hard way. For those executing them, they may seem like harmless and fun pranks. However, some of these pranks are unethical or even illegal. They can have serious consequences. Here is a list of some pranks used on Twitch:
1. Deleting “System32 Virus”
The System32 folder is where drivers and and important DLL are located. It is also required for a Windows computer to operate. However, less tech-savvy users don’t know this. In Twitch chat, some trolling audience members will tell the streamer to delete the “System32 Virus” as it is what causes difficulty streaming. This is a classic prank that first appeared back in the Windows 2000 days, but there are still many who fall victim to it. There are ways to restore the files, but it’s just better to not have to go through that.
2. Delivery Service
With this prank, the streamer may have unintentionally revealed their home address or been doxxed by someone in their audience. Depending on who the troll called and what they had “delivered” to the streamer’s address, the streamer could end up with 3 large mushroom pizzas, 5 servings of pho noodles and 4 turkey sandwiches from local restaurants or even an escort. That would just be a big meal for the streamer or an unexpected guest to deal with, which makes this prank much more harmless than the next one.
3. False Police Report
This is the catastrophic version of prank #2. This starts out the same as the delivery prank, only someone decides to fabricate a false report to the police about some sort of illegal activity at the streamer’s house. This can be anything — kidnapped hostages, a bomb, dead bodies, or other serious felonies. As a result, an armed SWAT team will arrive on the scene and swarm into the streamer’s house to search for evidence of what had been reported. The false reporting is not only a waste of time for the police and the streamer, but illegal and highly dangerous. It also costs the city a lot of money. In many cases, the police traces the prank call back to its originator and arrests them.
SWAT team surrounds gamer after receiving a false report.
4. Downloading Malware
The “life lesson” learned here is similar to not accepting gifts from strangers. The troll in this scenario will pretend to be a Twitch tech support representative and send a link via Twitch chat or Skype to the streamer about installing software that will enhance streaming performance. In reality, the software can just be an annoying pop-up malware or something devastating to the computer. If this happens, the streamer should ignore the troll — or report them if it becomes harassment.
5. Song Request
This can be a violation to Twitch rules or even illegal as many songs are copyrighted. Some Twitch streamers use a bot that lets the audience request a song. In many cases, a troll will choose a loud or offensive song that can be distracting to the streamer. This can be the most harmless prank in this list as long as neither party gets too serious.
6. Inflated Viewers
This is a psychological trolling for streamers who don’t have a large audience base. Trolls will gather and go to a less popular stream to see how excited the streamer will become. It can be delightful for the streamer in the beginning, but then it can go wrong. The streamer may accept any requests from the chat, such as deleting system32, putting their laptop into a microwave, pouring liquid into the router… Of course the streamer can always say no, too.
Although April Fools Day is over, you can still play harmless pranks with your friends and streamers on Twitch. It can be fun and helps to establish a better relationship with them. Just remember, do not cross the line and turn it into crime. If you liked this article, please press ctrl+f4 and then crtl+shift+t to like this article and be sure to leave a comment below!
