French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the livestreaming platform Kick following the death of a French content creator during a livestream. Raphaël Graven, known online as Jean Pormanove, was found dead on August 18 in a residence near Nice.
Cause of death
Graven, 46, was known for livestreams that featured staged violence and humiliation. Local police said he had previously told investigators that the content was consensual and aimed at building an audience and generating income. According to local media, he experienced periods of sleep deprivation and physical strain during broadcasts and died in his sleep while streaming. A postmortem later found no signs of trauma or third-party involvement.
Authorities have seized recordings of the broadcasts and interviewed several people who were present at the time of his death.
Regulatory questions and platform response
The Paris prosecutor’s office said the inquiry will examine whether Kick knowingly broadcast “videos of deliberate attacks on personal integrity” and whether the platform met its obligations under the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The law requires platforms to notify authorities if content poses an imminent risk to life or safety.
France’s minister for digital affairs, Clara Chappaz, announced plans to file a negligence lawsuit against Kick, citing a failure to prevent harmful content. In a post on X, she called the death an “absolute horror” and said the creator had been “humiliated and mistreated” for months.
Kick said it is cooperating with authorities and taking legal advice. “We remain fully committed to cooperating with the relevant authorities with any ongoing investigation,” a spokesperson said. In an earlier statement, the company expressed condolences to Graven’s family and said its community guidelines are designed to protect creators.
The investigation calls attention to growing scrutiny of livestreaming platforms over content moderation and user safety. Regulators across the European Union have increased enforcement of digital safety laws, which could lead to stricter compliance requirements for platforms that allow high-risk or harmful content.
Image courtesy: Jean Pormanove