France’s broadcast and online regulator has said it has no legal authority to block an online channel hosted on Kick, the Australia-based streaming platform, after the death of a French streamer during a live broadcast.
Martin Ajdari, head of ARCOM, made the clarification in an op-ed published in Le Monde on Sunday. He noted that since Kick has no representation in France, “it does not come under the direct authority of ARCOM.”
The platform came under scrutiny after Raphael Graven, 46 — known online as “Jean Pormanove” or “JP” — died on August 18 while attempting a 12-day live-streaming marathon in which he endured abuse and humiliation from participants.
A post-mortem concluded that Graven’s death was not the result of trauma or foul play. Prosecutor Damien Martinelli said the likely cause was a medical complication, possibly aggravated by substances. He noted Graven had a thyroid condition and potential heart problems.
The streamer had amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on Kick. His death has reignited debate over the responsibilities of online platforms. “This tragedy obviously raises the question about the responsibility of the platform that broadcast the images,” Ajdari wrote.
However, he stressed that only a judge could rule on the legality of such content, while ARCOM’s powers are limited to enforcing EU laws on platforms with a French presence.
Ajdari criticised the lack of intervention before the incident, noting that Graven’s earlier videos depicting abuse remained online for months without challenge. “That indicates that a new phase of digital regulation is now needed, so that we no longer let such a situation pass us by, collectively,” he stated.
