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The streaming platform Kick could incur a substantial penalty of up to $49 million AUD following the deeply disturbing death of French streamer Jean Pormanove, which occurred live on air. The incident has prompted a swift investigation by Australian regulators into Kick’s content moderation policies and platform responsibility.
On August 18, 46-year-old Raphaël Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove, tragically passed away in his sleep while broadcasting live on Kick. Reports indicate that in the days and months leading up to his death, Pormanove allegedly endured extreme violence, severe sleep deprivation, and the forced ingestion of potentially toxic substances. These harrowing acts were reportedly orchestrated by two fellow streamers identified as Naruto and Safine.
International Outcry and Regulatory Action
The tragedy sparked outrage across France, with politicians condemning the incident as a “national disgrace.” Clara Chappaz, France’s Minister for Digital Affairs and AI, vehemently vowed to “promptly end this digital Wild West,” criticizing Kick for its perceived lack of intervention despite Pormanove being “humiliated and mistreated for months live on Kick.”
Because Kick’s operations are based in Australia, French authorities initially faced limitations in their direct oversight. However, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has now confirmed a thorough investigation is underway, warning of significant financial penalties under Australian online safety laws. The eSafety Commissioner emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “This is a tragic case where someone has lost their life, and underscores how the creation of more extreme content, in this case involving actual violence, can have devastating, real-world consequences.”
Platforms like Kick are legally obligated to protect their users from harmful or criminal material and to rigorously enforce their own terms of service. Violations of these critical online safety mandates can lead to fines reaching up to AUD $49.5 million.
Kick’s Response and Ongoing Investigations
In the aftermath of the event, Kick has taken initial steps, including banning the streamers implicated in the broadcasts and severing ties with its French social media agency, which faced backlash for using Pormanove’s image in promotional content. However, regulators underscore the need for platforms to do more, with a spokesperson for the eSafety Commissioner asserting that “Platforms like Kick need to be doing more to enforce their own terms of use and minimise harmful content and conduct in streams to protect all users of the service.”
Kick’s community guidelines expressly prohibit “content that depicts or incites abhorrent violence including significant harm, suffering or death.” The eSafety Commissioner affirmed, “eSafety will use the full range of our enforcement powers as appropriate where there is non-compliance.”
French police continue their investigation into Pormanove’s death. While an autopsy found no signs of external or internal trauma, it suggests that his death might be linked to underlying medical or toxicological causes.
Disturbing compilation videos have surfaced, showing Pormanove allegedly being subjected to physical abuse, including being hit, strangled, and shot with paintball guns during streams with Naruto and Safine. Pormanove’s own messages, sent days before his passing, reveal a deeply troubled state, where he confided to his mother that he felt “held hostage” and was “fed up” with the streams. His sister described his ordeal as “unacceptable.”
Broader Concerns Over Platform Content and Safety
This tragic incident is not the sole controversy surrounding Kick’s content in recent weeks. Just days later, on August 23, streamer Raja Jackson, son of UFC legend Rampage Jackson, garnered viral attention after storming a wrestling ring at an event and assaulting wrestler Syko Stu. Raja, who was live streaming the incident on Kick, was subsequently banned by the platform, and the event led to an LAPD investigation and WWE quietly cutting ties with the involved wrestling promotion.
These back-to-back incidents intensify scrutiny on live-streaming platforms and the critical need for robust content moderation and user safety measures. As investigations continue in both Australia and France, Kick faces increasing pressure to re-evaluate and strengthen its commitment to protecting its users from harm.