What Happened?

On August 20, ⁤2025, a 46-year-old man died ​during a livestream on ‌Kick.⁣ The Guardian reported ⁢ that ⁢the man was participating⁢ in a co-stream, a practice where multiple individuals broadcast simultaneously, when the incident occurred. Details surrounding the cause of‍ death are still under investigation‍ by French authorities.

The livestream involved a challenge, and the man ​reportedly consumed ⁢a dangerous substance. The broadcast continued for several minutes before viewers alerted emergency‌ services, but efforts to save him were‍ unsuccessful. ⁣the incident sparked outrage and ⁤calls for greater accountability from ⁤Kick.

Legal Action ⁣and Government Response

France’s Minister for Digital Affairs, Marina Paillard, announced on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, ‍that the government will sue Kick for⁤ alleged negligence. According to Reuters, ⁤the lawsuit will focus on the⁢ platform’s failure to ⁣adequately protect it’s users and prevent dangerous content from⁤ being broadcast.

The Paris⁣ prosecutor’s office ⁣has opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death, focusing on‍ potential manslaughter charges.⁤ kick has not yet responded ⁤to ⁤a request ⁣for comment regarding the lawsuit.

The French government‌ is seeking approximately €864,000 (roughly $930,000 USD as of August 26, 2025) in​ damages.

kick’s Response and Content Moderation

Following ​the⁣ man’s death, Kick Français stated it would cooperate fully ⁤with‌ authorities and review its French content.⁢ In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the platform ⁢announced that all co-streamers who participated in the broadcast had been banned pending the outcome of the investigation.

“Our priority ‍is to protect creators and ‍ensure a ⁢safer environment‍ on Kick,” the company wrote. Though, critics argue that Kick’s content moderation policies are ‌lax and that the platform prioritizes revenue over user safety.

About Kick

Kick is a livestreaming platform registered in Australia that⁣ has gained popularity by offering content creators‍ a ⁤more favorable revenue-sharing model than competitors like Twitch. ‌ The platform allows creators to keep 95% of subscription revenue, compared to Twitch’s 50% split. this has attracted a number of high-profile streamers, but also raised ‌concerns about the types of content being hosted on the platform.

Kick’s rapid growth has also presented challenges in terms of ‌content moderation and ensuring user⁤ safety.‍ The platform relies heavily on automated tools and⁢ user ​reporting to identify and remove inappropriate content, but ⁣these systems are not always effective.