- ExtraEmily nearly hit an SUV while reading messages during a driving stream.
- Her third driving-related suspension lasted about 24 hours.
- A September clip appeared to show her reading messages while driving again.
- Twitch bans distracted driving but lets drivers hear messages and answer aloud.
- Asian Andy was still banned nine years after a distracted driving violation.
Twitch streamer ExtraEmily nearly hit an oncoming Mazda SUV during a June 28 broadcast. Twitch lets people broadcast live video, including trips in their cars. The company suspended her on June 29 and restored her channel about 24 hours later. The short ban raised questions about how Twitch handles distracted driving.
Emily Xuechun Zhang, who streams as ExtraEmily, looked at her phone to read viewer messages while turning. The oncoming driver honked, and she turned away without hitting or damaging either vehicle. She said she had switched off her Tesla's Autopilot shortly before the near miss. She apologized and said she would try to do fewer driving streams.
Zhang said she would keep viewer messages off when she does drive. Dexerto called the June ban her third driving-related suspension, after bans in 2023 and April 2025. The April 2025 ban followed a stream showing her driving through a red light while looking at her phone. Twitch's rules ban dangerous or distracted driving, including reading viewer messages or touching streaming equipment behind the wheel.
The rules allow drivers to hear messages read aloud and answer by speaking. Twitch's record lists Asian Andy's May 25, 2017 violation as dangerous or distracted driving. He says he was eating chicken nuggets while driving on stream. On July 2, 2026, Asian Andy said he was still banned nine years later.
In a follow-up post, Asian Andy said Twitch had rejected appeals he filed every few months. Twitch banned Kaceytron on July 5, but the reason wasn't confirmed. Footage appeared to show her drinking from a can and taking a hit from a pipe before driving. Kaceytron told viewers she wasn't drunk.
A clip posted around September 9 or 10 again appeared to show Zhang reading viewer messages while driving. No collision is visible in the clip. Twitch ambassador Steven Spohn said viewers could see Zhang swerve. He questioned Twitch's response and wrote, "I have no idea what I'm supposed to say here."
ExtraEmily driving clip backlash
On September 11, streamer Asmongold said he had privately complained to Twitch about distracted driving. He said, "if you're the streamer, you can't be the driver." During a September 19 London stream, Zhang appeared to ride an e-bike through red lights. A driver honked, and a passerby warned that she would get run over.
