Last week, popular IRL Twitch streamer Emily Xuechun Zhang was driving while streaming. Best known as ExtraEmily, the streamer was distracted by the live chat when attempting to switch lanes, nearly colliding with an SUV. It earned her a very brief ban, but given repeat offenses it has kicked up a conversation about Twitch’s loose terms around driving over the influencer.
“I completely understand why I was suspended because it’s very dangerous, I want to learn from my mistake and do better”
ExtraEmily has responded to her Twitch ban for being on her phone while driving pic.twitter.com/mdIaCKkydl
— Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) July 2, 2026
“I completely understand why I was suspended,” said Zhang in an apology. “It’s very dangerous. I want to learn from my mistake and do better in the future. From now on I’m going to try to minimize the amount of driving that I’m doing on stream, and if I do drive on stream I’m definitely going to have the chat off.”
It isn’t Zhang’s only incident. A year earlier she ran a red light while driving to a Barbie-themed cafe in Austin, Texas. IRL streamers offer their fans an uninterrupted glimpse into their day-to-day life, which has kicked up numerous safety and ethical issues as competing streamers and obsessive viewers take things over the line. Twitch’s terms of service don’t outright ban streaming while driving, but prohibits “dangerous or distracted driving” or using a phone, which would logically be the case for most streams. Zhang’s ban only ended up lasting a day, prompting many popular streamers to chime in.
Asmongold, the provocateur who co-founded the OTK media org that Zhang currently belongs to, said that driving should be banned on Twitch altogether, and that streamers would be better off ordering an Uber. Asian Andy was banned for driving, streaming and eating chicken nuggets in 2017, and has remained banned from the platform. He’s pleading with Twitch to lift his ban, as more popular streamers like Zhang and Kai Cenat have theirs easily wavered after distracted driving.
Bro 9 years I’m still banned for eating chicken nuggets and driving. Twitch pls. I just want to play MapleStory and stream. https://t.co/coOaBl9468
— Asian Andy (@AsianAndyFilms) July 2, 2026
“Bro 9 years I’m still banned for eating chicken nuggets and driving,” posted Andy. “Twitch pls. I just want to play MapleStory and stream.”
