Authorities have opened an investigation into the conditions of the death of Raphaël Graven, aka Jean Pormanove online. The 46-year-old streamer was discovered in a home outside Nice on August 18, while streaming live. According to local media reports, Graven had a history of violent outbursts as well as sleep deprivation from streaming.
A postmortem examination carried out within days of his death found no evidence of trauma or third-party involvement. Before his death, Graven had already spoken to detectives and strongly denied that he was the victim of a violent act. He admitted that a portion of his foul antics on-stream were pre-planned in order to “make a splash” and earn himself cold hard cash.
Clara Chappaz, France’s minister for digital affairs, tweeted her anger at the scene. She called the circumstances surrounding Graven’s death an “absolute horror.” In her personal testimony, she shared how he faced degradation and abuse on the platform. This outcome forced the government to sue Kick for its failure to protect against the proliferation of dangerous content.
Chappaz concluded her remarks by highlighting the need for accountability in the digital world. “We must ensure that platforms are held responsible for the safety of their users,” she said. The Paris prosecutor’s office already announced the opening of its investigation. It will be particularly relevant in the scope of whether Kick knowingly permitted the broadcasting of videos that would damage personal integrity.
Kick, a streaming platform similar to Twitch, has stated it is committed to upholding community guidelines designed to protect creators. A spokesperson noted that the company is “urgently reviewing” the circumstances surrounding Graven’s death and is dedicated to maintaining a safe environment for all users.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jean Pormanove and extend our condolences to his family, friends and community,” – Kick
The investigation will look into Kick’s adherence to the European Union’s Digital Services Act. This online safety act seeks to establish standards to combat damaging content across social media platforms. The result of this wide-ranging investigation could have monumental impact on the platform and how it does business in the future.