Online humiliation as entertainment? The death of a French content creator, explained
Raphaël Graven, 46, better known to his followers as Jean Pormanove (JP), collapsed and died while taking part in a nearly 12-day live stream.
The former military veteran had built a following of more than a million across platforms by performing high-risk challenges and often enduring physical abuse on camera.
Reports revealed that Graven's streams were notorious for pushing boundaries.
While he sometimes showcased stunts such as taking on attack dogs, other clips showed him being doused with water, shot with paintballs, throttled and even strangled by fellow streamers.
"He had been humiliated and abused for months live on the Kick platform," said Clara Chappaz, France's junior minister for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technology.
Calling the violence "absolutely horrific," she confirmed a judicial investigation has been opened and that the matter has been referred to France's media regulator.
During his final broadcast, viewers watched as Graven lay motionless on camera.
According to his friend Gwen, who was present, no one realised something was wrong at first.
"In the middle of the night, he started breathing heavily. We thought he had just changed position and was snoring.
"Then it lasted a few minutes and he stopped completely and didn't move anymore. Everyone was asleep, but there were still 4,000 people watching the live stream at that moment," Gwen recounted.
Kick, the streaming platform where Graven hosted most of his content, has faced mounting criticism.
Known as a less restrictive rival to Amazon's Twitch, it has allowed creators to broadcast more controversial material.
Kick has since removed all of Graven's videos and banned co-streamers involved in his final broadcast.
In a statement, the company said its focus is to protect creators, keep the platform safe, uphold its rules, and work with authorities.
"Our priority is to protect creators and ensure a safer environment on Kick. All co-streamers who participated in this live broadcast have been banned pending the ongoing investigation," the company said.
Still, experts warn the underlying problem runs deeper. Technology analyst Victor Baissait described that the drive for virality often rewards extreme and shocking content.
'It's very sad to say, but anything shocking creates a buzz. It snowballs, and influencers push limits to stand out. Sometimes the most extreme content becomes the most popular," he said.
Videos reviewed by media outlets show Graven frequently subjected to bullying, physical attacks and degrading stunts, often carried out by fellow streamers he collaborated with.
During the final marathon stream, viewers even donated money to send messages alerting his companions after he appeared unconscious.
French authorities have ordered an autopsy and are examining whether criminal charges should follow.
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