Factors that Influence Media Competence of Female Streamers Audiences During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

With the arrival of the pandemic, people of all ages have found an alternative in video games to distract themselves. Additionally, streaming (live streaming of game sessions) became a way to earn income from home for creators. This type of content became part of the digital media diet of video game fans, who established a close relationship with streamers and generated different dynamics ranging from the publication of positive comments to strong rejection. Despite the implementation of rules regulating the behavior of streamers on platforms such as Twitch and Facebook, they are not able to control some irregularities, like monitoring negative comments or sexual innuendo during live streams. This has initiated various debates about the correct use of these media that gather people of all ages, from children to adults. In order to know consumers’ points of view, two focus groups were carried out (one with 8 women and another with 14 men) in order to find out the factors that influence the media competence of female streamers’ audience. The study addresses two dimensions: languages and ideology and values. In the languages dimension, although women are aware of harassment, they consider that a person has freedom of behavior during a stream. Men, meanwhile, consider that the way women show themselves in front of the camera allows them to generate money. In the ideology and values dimension, women believe that a female streamer’s behavior should not be questioned or criticized as long as it respects the rules of the community. On the other hand, men consider that the rules are interpreted subjectively, but they are aware that without these practices, the Facebook Gaming platform would not have economic income. To sum up, women take more into account the human side of people who stream while men view these behaviors as a business.