Government steps in to investigate Kick following streamer Jean Pormanove’s tragic death

French authorities have reportedly opened a judicial investigation into Kick, the live-streaming platform. It comes after the tragic death of popular streamer Jean Pormanove during the ongoing live broadcast.

The intervention of the government signals some concerns over Kick’s practices and their duty of care. The probe will expectedly be examining the circumstances that surround this incident as well as the role of the platform in moderating the extreme content.

French authorities launch a Judicial probe into Jean Pormanove’s tragic death

A judicial investigation, as per reports, is underway by the French authorities to determine the full scope of the events which led to such a tragedy. The Digital Affairs and AI minister of France has publicly criticized the platform and confirmed the investigation.

He stated that Kick has failed to censor content or remove the broadcast timely. Such an official response has underscored the seriousness with which Jean Pormanove’s case is being treated by the government.

It places Kick and its policies under direct scrutiny.

The investigation conducted would delve in the specific nature of livestreams that are days-long. It would also look into the alleged actions of the others who remain involved.

The move signals a potential shift within how the government might choose to regulate the online content, holding the platforms much more accountable for what live broadcast is to their audiences. Moreover, the focus isn't a single event.

It is in the broader ecosystem that permits the high-risk contents to get aired and to be online even long after the alarms get raised.

Broadcast tragic events that led to government intervention

Jean Pormanove, also known as Raphael Graven, was a 46-year-old streamer.

He was in the midst of an extreme marathon broadcast that was running for over 280 hours (Death game). As per reports from the French media, the streamer was subjected to a prolonged period, which is described as torture. It included severe deprivation of sleep, attempted suffocation, and some electrical shocks.During this ongoing stream, Pormanove, as per reports, sent a note to his mother. He in it expressed his desire for leaving but as per him, he was “locked in.”

The condition of the streamer was unnoticed till the viewer donated to alert others that the streamer appeared unresponsive.

The co-streamer, Oven “Naruto” Cenazandott, was further seen in the video throwing a water bottle at Pormanove, trying to wake him, before ending his live feed. Just as authorities arrived at the scene, they found Pormanove to be alone and unconscious. He was later pronounced dead.

Kick and its controversial history

This particular incident isn’t the first event where the platform seemed to have failed.

It has just instead amplified the existing concerns about the approach of Kick to content moderation. The platform, which is known for the creator-friendly split of revenue, built a reputation for having looser regulations than the competitors. It has made it a destination for the streamers pushing boundaries with the violent stunts and some humiliating content.

It often targeted vulnerable individuals.The co-streamers of Pormanove, Naruto, and Safine Hamadi were previously arrested in 2025 on suspicion of producing humiliating videos. However, their release was quick and their continued presence on the platform highlighted the challenges that Kick faces in policing creators. In response to the public outcry now, Kick has banned involved streamers, pending the investigation’s outcome.