A 46-year-old French streamer died on Monday during a days-long broadcast on the Kick streaming platform, where he was allegedly subjected to harm and humiliation for viewers’ entertainment. The incident has sparked mass outrage and investigation by authorities.
Raphael Graven, who went by Jean Pormanove online, had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers across multiple platforms before turning to Kick in recent years. However, his broadcasts on the platform featured him being chained or lying on the ground, seemingly in pain, as well as being subjected to violence, insults, and humiliation.
An investigation in December reported that Graven and another streamer with a disability were abused by two co-streamers. The investigation has since been expanded to look into “deliberate violence against vulnerable persons” and “spreading recordings of images related to offences involving deliberate violations of physical integrity.”
Two co-streamers allegedly involved in the case were briefly taken into custody but released pending further investigation. However, one lawyer claimed that the scenes depicted on Kick were staged for entertainment purposes.
French authorities have condemned the abuse and vowed to protect creators on the platform. Clara Chappaz, France’s deputy minister in charge of artificial intelligence and digital affairs, has called the violence an “absolute horror” and announced plans to contact Kick about its moderation policies.
The Kick streaming platform, similar to Amazon’s Twitch, allows for a more permissive moderation policy that permits certain types of content, including gambling activities, sexually suggestive content, or content involving humiliation or violence. However, the platform has since banned all co-streamers involved in Graven’s broadcast pending the outcome of the investigation.
Several high-profile streamers have come forward to express their condolences and support for Graven’s family, including Adin Ross and Drake, who have agreed to cover funeral costs.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/french-streamer-death-1.7614641