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French influencer Jean Pormanove, whose real name was Raphael Graven, died during a live stream that lasted 12 days. According to multiple reports, the 46-year-old passed away in his sleep on Monday at his home in Contes, near Nice, while he streamed alongside three other people.
Graven was known for streaming himself perform extreme and violent challenges on the platform Kick, which had over half a million followers across several channels. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
Why It Matters
Graven’s death raises questions about safety and the emergence of internet subcultures that promote violence among influencers and online personalities. In 2021, a Russian streamer was sentenced to six years in prison for the death of his girlfriend during a livestream in December 2020.
The streamer had beaten her and locked her out of their home, according to the Moscow Times.
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photo by: Alicia Windzio/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
What To Know
Graven died after 298 hours of live streaming. The The Telegraph reported that he had a serious heart condition, but the official cause of death has not been disclosed.
Police told multiple outlets they found no suspicious circumstances.
In previous livestreams, Graven was seen performing violent acts such as being beaten, strangled, force-fed, and peppered with paintballs, according to publications including The Telegraph and CNN.
At the time of his death, the donation counter suggested that Graven and the other streamers had raised more than $41,000, Euronews reported. Kick is an Australian livestreaming service created in 2022 by the founders of gambling company Stake. It allows people to broadcast to audiences who can comment and donate money as they watch. Its community guidelines prohibit violent content and displays of self-harm.
What People Are Saying
France’s digital affairs and artificial intelligence minister Clara Chappaz said on X: “The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he suffered are absolutely horrific.”
Kick France wrote on X: “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.”
Graven’s mother told RTL: “My son had a big heart. He was a family, he was invited everywhere.”
Graven’s sister said: “I was very proud of what my brother became. I didn’t watch everything, but I think he shouldn’t have died like that. That he died of exhaustion is unacceptable. What he went through is unacceptable.”
Sarah El Haïry, France’s High Commissioner for Children, described the death as “horrifying” on X and added: “Platforms have an immense responsibility in regulating online content so that our children are not exposed to violent content. I call on parents to be extremely vigilant.”
What Happens Next
Kick banned the other streamers involved in Graven’s livestream, which resulted in his death. It also told The Mail Online it was conducting a “complete re-evaluation” of its French content.
French police have opened an investigation into Graven’s death and ordered an autopsy, according to the AFP news agency and CNN.
Rapper Drake and U.S. streamer Adin Ross offered to pay for Graven’s funeral, according to multiple reports.
