What Happened?

Rafael Graven, 46, from southern France, was known online as Jean Pawmanbe.

This week, he tragically passed away during an extended live stream on the platform. Reports suggest that, prior to his death, he was subjected to physical assaults and humiliation by his associates. A disturbing excerpt from the stream viewed by the Guardian indicates that Graven was struck, humiliated, strangled, and shot with a paintball gun.

His channel has since been removed, and the involved parties are banned pending the investigation by Kick.

One of the collaborators informed local media that Graven had pre-existing cardiovascular issues and claimed, “the scene was just staged and followed a script.”

An autopsy has been ordered, and a police investigation is underway regarding Graven’s death.

What is Kick?

Kick is a live streaming platform akin to Twitch, where users often watch gaming sessions and various live activities.

Founded in Melbourne in 2022 by billionaires Ed Craven and Bijan Tehrani, Craven previously established Stake.com, the world’s largest cryptocurrency casino. Kick expanded its user base by attracting Twitch streamers who supported Stake before Twitch’s ban on gambling advertisements.

Kick claims that content creators retain 95% of their streaming revenue.

The platform is known for a more lenient approach to content moderation compared to Twitch, although it does have community guidelines prohibiting “content that depicts or incites heinous violence, including serious harm, suffering, and death.”

Additionally, Kick asserts that it will not allow content featuring severe self-harm.

Earlier this year, the company announced new rules permitting gambling streams only from verified sites to protect minors from such content.

Why Wasn’t the Channel Banned?

A spokesperson for Kick did not provide an explanation as to why the Jean Pawmanbe channel remained active before Graven’s death.

“We are urgently reviewing the situation, engaging with relevant stakeholders, and investigating the matter,” the spokesperson stated. “Kick’s Community Guidelines are established to protect creators, and we are committed to maintaining these standards across the platform.”

What Did Kick Say About the Death?

The company expressed its support for the ongoing investigation and shared its grief over Graven’s passing.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jean Pawmanbe and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and community.”

Will Kick Face Any Repercussions?

In France, Clara Chappaz, Deputy Minister of AI and Digital Technology, characterized the incident as “absolutely horrifying,” announcing an ongoing judicial investigation. The matter has been escalated to the French portal for reporting internet content concerns, as well as the digital regulator ARCOM.

Being an Australian company, Kick could also face local scrutiny.

A spokesperson for the Esafety Commissioner referred to the case as “tragic,” emphasizing that it highlights the potentially devastating real-world consequences of extreme content creation.

The spokesperson remarked, “Platforms like Kick must do more to enforce their terms and conditions to minimize harmful content and behavior during streams, ensuring protection for all users.”

Given Kick’s chat features, there may be implications for the Australian government’s planned social media age restrictions for users under 16, starting in December.

Furthermore, new industry codes and standards now require Kick and similar platforms to have systems to shield Australians from inappropriate content, including depictions of crime and violence without justification.

“This encompasses mandates to uphold terms and conditions that prohibit such material and to address user reports swiftly and appropriately,” the spokesperson added. “ESAFETY may seek penalties of up to $49.5 million for compliance violations if warranted.”

Additional codes are under consideration to specifically target children’s exposure to violent content.