Twitch’s peer-to-peer streams in South Korea may put user privacy at risk

The trials for P2P-based source quality streaming raises user privacy concerns with IP addresses of all participants being made available. — Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash

Livestreaming service Twitch has started testing out peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to deliver their content in South Korea as a potential cost-saving measure, with trials starting July 29 on selected partner channels.

The P2P-based livestreams are currently only being used for high-definition content in the trials, with users viewing at 720p or lower quality not affected by this shift. The FAQ page on their website said the use of P2P would also increase latency (lag time) for viewers of a given stream.