A place in the middle of a storm. Kick, a transmission platform similar to Twitch, but known for its much less regulated content, is under fire criticism after death on Monday, August 18, Streameur Jeanpormanove. The latter was the goal of multiple humiliations filmed live for its 193,000 subscribers. If the link between his death and these videos has not yet been tested, an investigation has been opened and the minister’s digital delegate “contacted kick officials to obtain explanations.”
Recently created, in December 2022, the platform wanted to establish itself as an alternative to Twitch. He also tried to attract streamers with a more generous remuneration than his rival. According to the Streams lists site, between August 12 and 19, Kick had almost 800,000 spectators simultaneously in all its chains (against two million on Twitch).
Controversial content
Kick is the stake initiative, an Austral-Curaciano Giant of the Casino online. Casino’s live broadcast is one of the most broadcast categories on the platform. XQC, one of the big names in English transmission, noticeably transmitted in kicks of casino pieces. He will later reveal that the platform paid almost $ 100 million to produce content on it.
But like Twitch, there are mainly kicks related to video games or “simply chat”, a type of transmission where the host discusses with its community.
But little regarding moderation, Kick saw a completely different type of content emerged. As Mediapart already reported in December 2024, French content creators embarked on the directs where people who were victims of humiliations and physical and psychological violence could be seen. The concept will attract a considerable audience.
The death of a live streamer
Jeanpormanove, 46, was one of the main creators of French content in Kick, especially known for making extreme challenges on the platform with other serpentines.
His last transmission will have pushed him beyond his limits. He was seen inanimate during his last life, along with “Naruto” and “Safine”. The first tried to awaken it, without success, after “ten days and nights of torture”, according to the account of certain Internet users who mentioned the “extreme” physical violence, a “sleep deprivation” and “the ingestion of toxic products.” He died while sleeping.
“Jean Pormanove was humiliated and mistreated for months live on the Kick platform (…) I took the Arcom and made a report on Pharos (platform for the content report published on social networks for several reasons, editor’s note)”, Undouncing the Minister of Clara Digital Clara.
Contacted by Tech & Co, Kick says, through a spokesman, to be “deeply sad for the loss of Jean Pormanove.” “We send our condolences to your family, friends and community. We are currently examining the circumstances urgently and collaborating with interested parties to investigate the situation.”
Also contacted by us, the Arcom has not yet reacted to the incident.
Source: BFM TV
