After live streaming nonstop for five nights in a row, a Chinese student and video game streamer going by the surname Li has been declared dead, with tiredness being believed as the cause.
Li, a final-year student at Henan Pingdingshan Vocational and Technical College, was contracted by a Chinese media company as part of an internship that was essential to his June graduation, according to MailOnline on Wednesday.
His contract stipulated that in order to receive the minimal minimum salary of 3000 yuan (£323), he had to upload 15 short video and broadcast for 240 hours within 26 days. This dedication resulted in Li managing his personal and academic obligations in addition to lives streaming for 38.4% of the days he was contracted.
Li’s Zhengzhou housemates noticed him unconscious and breathing quickly while he slept, so they called the police. He had been actively broadcasting for Henan Yihui Culture Media from 9 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the five days preceding his tragic death on November 10, according to livestream records that a Chinese news source was able to get.
Li’s father disclosed—a claim the employer disputes—that his son had been forced to work nights in exchange for more tips. Although Li was not forced to perform night shifts, a corporate spokesperson admitted that many livestreamers had difficulty striking a balance between their personal and professional lives.
Li was described by the corporation as participating in “simple cooperation,” offering the location and receiving a percentage from tips, rather than being an official employee or intern. The corporation made a 5000 Yuan (£555) “humanitarian” offer to the family in an attempt to reach a settlement, but they insisted that any additional requests for compensation had to go through the legal system.
The father of the departed pupil has not indicated if he intends to sue the business. He said he was looking into avenues for insurance company compensation and that the institution had offered help.
