Authorities are launching an investigation into the Australian platform Kick after a streamer’s on-air death in Paris shocked viewers. Raphaël Graven, who went by the pseudonym Jean Pormanove or JP, died Aug. 18 during a streaming marathon that lasted 280 hours on the platform. The 46-year-old internet personality was reportedly exposed to bouts of humiliation and torture—such as violence and sleep deprivation—for months to garner views before his death. Paris prosecutors have said they would investigate if Kick “knowingly” broadcast “videos of deliberate attacks on personal integrity.” Kick is also being investigated to determine if it abided by the European Union’s Digital Services Act, which states that platforms are obligated to report to authorities if a person’s life or safety is at risk. Clara Chappaz, the French minister for digital affairs, said in a separate announcement that the government would sue the streaming platform for “negligence.” “Kick did not do everything possible to stop the broadcast of dangerous content,” Chappaz said. In a statement to the Daily Beast, a Kick spokesperson said “We are currently looking into this matter, including in partnership with our legal advisors. We remain fully committed to cooperating with the relevant authorities with any ongoing investigation.”
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