Chat TTS puts other people's text on your stream. Most viewers write funny, friendly things, but one troll is enough for TTS to read something nasty. The good news: settings make this easy to prevent.
Here's how to protect TTS from spam and trolling without killing the fun for everyone else.
Below are all the layers of protection, from settings that filter trolls automatically to mod commands for when something gets through anyway.
Decide who can speak
The strongest protection is limiting who gets heard. In Chat2Speech you can choose: all viewers, only subs, VIPs and mods, or only VIPs and mods. Newcomers and drive-by viewers can stay silent.
What TTS trolling looks like
Usually it's long nonsense messages, repeated spam, links, insults or attempts to read out someone's personal details. Sometimes trolls arrive as a group during a raid. The good news: standard filters stop most of these before they play.
TTS for points or a subscription
Trolls don't want to spend time or money on one nasty message. A scheme where TTS is redeemed with Channel Points filters out drive-bys, since points only build up by watching. The «Chat2Speech subscribers only» scheme keeps TTS for viewers who bought a voice subscription, which is also income: half of every subscription goes to you.
Message filters
Turn on in TTS settings:
skip messages with links;
skip bot commands (messages starting with «!»);
a message length limit, so walls of text aren't read;
Twitch AutoMod, so bad words are removed before TTS.
Settings for different situations
Settings change without restarting the stream, so you can adjust protection live.
Small, calm chat: everyone speaks, with a length cap and links skipped.
Growing channel: everyone speaks, with mods on hand who know the commands.
Big channel: subs, VIPs and mods speak, or TTS runs on Channel Points.
Raid or a wave of new viewers: temporarily switch to VIPs and mods only.
Spam attack: !tts off while mods clean up, then !tts on.
Mod commands
Mods control TTS right from chat and can stop a troll instantly:
!tts skip — skip the current message;
!tts clear — clear the queue;
!tts mute @name — mute a viewer;
!tts off — turn TTS off entirely if a troll raid starts.
If a bad message plays anyway
Don't make it a moment: calmly say that doesn't fly here and carry on. A mod mutes the author with !tts mute @name and bans them in Twitch chat if needed. A reaction without emotion denies the troll what they came for.
After the stream, review your settings: maybe lower the max length or limit TTS to subscribers for a while.
Twitch filters help too
AutoMod and Twitch's blocked terms hold messages before they appear in chat. Messages that don't pass Twitch's filters don't reach TTS either. Tune AutoMod for your channel and add terms trolls tend to use.
Balance protection and freedom
Too-strict protection kills what TTS is for: live conversation. If only subscribers can speak, regular viewers stop typing. Start with light settings and tighten them only when you see real problems. Most viewers come to chat, not to troll.
The TTS remote
The Chat2Speech remote in an OBS dock shows the message queue: you can remove a message before it plays, pause TTS or change the volume without leaving OBS.
Rules for viewers
Say in your panels and a bot command that TTS is chat's shared voice: no insults, spam or spoilers. Most viewers keep order themselves when the rules are clear.
How to explain the rules to viewers
Put your TTS rules in a channel panel and a chatbot command: max length, no links or insults, who can speak. When rules are clear, most viewers follow them, and mods find it easier to explain their calls.
Questions
How do I stop TTS for one viewer?
A mod types !tts mute @name and that viewer's messages stop playing. To undo: !tts unmute @name.
How do I stop TTS reading links?
Turn on skipping messages with links in Chat2Speech settings.
What if a troll raid hits?
A mod types !tts off and TTS turns off entirely. You can also temporarily limit TTS to VIPs and mods.
Can I turn TTS off quickly mid-stream?
Yes: mods type !tts off, or you pause it in the TTS remote in the OBS dock. !tts on turns it back on.
What does !tts mute do?
It mutes one viewer in TTS: their messages stop playing until a mod types !tts unmute @name.
How do I stop links from being read?
Turn on link skipping in settings: messages with links won't play on stream.