Specifically, the investigation is set to look into whether Kick 'knowingly provided illegal services, in particular through the distribution of videos of wilful attacks on the physical integrity of the person.' — Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE/ AFP
PARIS: Over a week after the on-camera death of a popular video game streamer, the French government on Tuesday said it would take the platform Kick to court.
The streamer, who went by the stage name Jean Pormanove and had hundreds of thousands of followers, used various social media platforms for gaming broadcasts, but also repeatedly subjected himself to extreme challenges online.
The 46-year-old died during his final broadcast in the early hours of August 18.
According to France's Digital Affairs Ministry, the court action aims to "stop the damage done by the content involved in this tragedy and disseminated by the platform, as well as to assess the risks posed by other content."
Digital Affairs Minister Clara Chappaz said that she was taking the platform to court over alleged violations of a 2004 law relating to the failure to prevent damage or to put an end to damage caused by online content.
The decision was taken after a Tuesday meeting between relevant authorities.
"This tragedy must also enable us to strengthen our ability to act quickly and decisively," Chappaz said.
Also on Tuesday, Paris Public Prosecutor Laure Beccuau initiated a preliminary investigation into Kick for the charge of providing an illegal online platform as part of an organised group, which is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of €1mil (RM4.9mil).
Specifically, the investigation is set to look into whether Kick "knowingly provided illegal services, in particular through the distribution of videos of wilful attacks on the physical integrity of the person."
It will also seek to determine whether the platform met EU regulations in relation to the obligation to report to authorities if someone's life or safety is at risk.
In one video, shared by broadcaster Europe1, other streamers suddenly grab Jean Pormanove by his arms and legs and squeeze his windpipe for more than two minutes, allegedly to set a new record.
In the end, the violence apparently went too far. "I'm fed up, I want to leave," Pormanove wrote in a message to his mother, according to the broadcaster BFMTV.
The public prosecutor's office in Nice has been investigating the violent scenes on the streamer's channel since December. The Paris prosecutor said that the investigation would remain under the purview of prosecutors in the southern city of Nice and that the two offices would share any relevant evidence.
An autopsy after the 46-year-old's death revealed no evidence of mistreatment by others involved in the broadcast. – dpa
