The "Lurk" emote is used to indicate that a viewer is present in the stream but will not be actively participating in chat. It represents passive viewing - when someone wants to support the streamer by having the stream open and contributing to viewer count, but cannot or chooses not to engage in conversation. The peeking dog perfectly symbolizes this behavior: watching from the sidelines without being fully present or visible in the chat.
Origin
The "Lurk" emote originates from a popular meme format featuring a dog (specifically a Shiba Inu or similar breed) peeking around a corner or doorway, with only part of its face visible. This image became widely used across social media platforms in the late 2010s to represent watching or observing something discreetly. The emote was adapted for Twitch and related platforms (7TV, FFZ, BTTV) around 2019-2020 as streaming culture embraced the concept of "lurking" - being present in a stream without actively participating in chat. The exact upload date varies by platform, but it gained significant traction as custom emotes became more popular in the Twitch ecosystem.
When to use
When a viewer needs to leave their computer but wants to keep the stream running
When someone is watching while doing other tasks (working, cooking, studying)
As a greeting when joining a stream but planning to watch passively
Before going to sleep while leaving the stream on
When multitasking across multiple streams
As a polite way to indicate reduced chat activity without leaving entirely
