Social access and representation for autistic adult livestreamers

• Main Authors: MOK, Terrance, TANG, Anthony, MCCRIMMON, Adam, OEHLBERG, Lora
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2022
• Subjects: autism; livestreaming; online communities; social interaction; Twitch; Information Security
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/7893; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sis_research/article/8896/viewcontent/2022_assets2022poster_mok_livestreamers.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

We interviewed 10 autistic livestreamers to understand their motivations for livestreaming on Twitch. Our participants explained that streaming helped them fulfill social desires by: supporting them in making meaningful social connections with others; giving them a safe space to practice social skills like “small talk”; and empowering them to be autistic role models and to share their true selves. This work offers an early report on how autistic individuals leverage livestreaming as a beneficial social platform while struggling with audience expectations.