What is Lurking?
Being present in a Twitch stream without actively chatting. Lurkers watch and contribute to viewer count but don't participate in chat.
Lurking is completely normal and accepted on Twitch. Many viewers prefer to watch silently, and most streamers appreciate lurkers because they contribute to viewership numbers that help with discoverability.
For networking purposes, lurking is a fine starting point — but active chat participation builds relationships faster. If you're trying to connect with a streamer, engage in their chat rather than lurking silently.