KICK
KICK
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MINIMUM AGE: 13+ with parent or carer consent.
WHAT IS IT? Like Twitch and YouTube Live, Kick is a platform that enables individuals to live stream themselves to an audience. These live streams commonly involve activities such as playing video games or engaging in conversations with friends. WHAT WE SAY: Avoid. We recommend that this platform is used for those aged 18+. Kick sets itself apart from its competitors in several significant ways. Notably, Kick offers the most favourable revenue sharing model. When streamers receive payments from their audience, they receive 95% of the revenue, while kick only takes a minimal 5% cut. In contrast, Twitch follows a 70/30 split arrangement for comparison. In 2022, Twitch implemented a ban on gambling activities on its platform. The decision came after numerous streamers, including Félix Lengyel, were found engaging in slot machine games while catering primarily to young audiences. Some streamers even received sponsorships to indulge in hours of continuous gambling. It is crucial to emphasize that advertising targeted towards children in such a manner is highly problematic. Slot machines are known to be highly addictive. Consequently, if a streamer influences a child to adopt this habit, it could have severe and detrimental consequences on their life. Kick has sparked controversy due to its allowance of live streaming gambling games. Furthermore, many of these streams actively promote Stake's slot machine services. Disturbingly, on June 19th, three of the leading "Slots & Casino" streamers were promoting Stake promo codes. While these streams and codes are intended for individuals aged 18 and above, they can be easily accessed by individuals of any age. The reason this content is so accessible is because users do not need to create an account to watch someone live streaming. The platform states "If you are under 18, you represent and warrant that you have your parent or guardian’s permission to use the Service and that your parent or guardian is agreeing to these Terms". Kick offers a variety of popular streams for users to watch, including gaming, gambling, and IRL (In Real Life) content. This means that users can view streams featuring gambling promotions, as well as streams featuring individuals in swimwear or hot tubs. However, the platform explicitly states that any content containing mature or NSFW (Not Safe for Work) elements must be appropriately tagged as 18+. While certain sections, such as hot tubs, may automatically receive this tag, it remains the streamer's responsibility to ensure the appropriate labeling is applied. Kick reserves the right to manually or automatically apply the 18+ tag to specific content. In cases where repeated disregard for mature labels occurs, further action may be taken. Examples of mature content that require the 18+ tag include 18+ video games, smoking, alcohol consumption, excessive profanity, casino or gambling activities, game nudity, graphic violence, and criticism or advocacy of religious or political positions. |
SAFETY TIPS TO CONSIDER:
To report a livestream please email [email protected] ensuring you provide as much information as possible:·
To find out more access the Kick Community Guidelines.
FURTHER SUPPORT: For parents/ carers If you're worried about your child or need support call NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. If you discover criminal content when online then report it directly to the police or the Internet Watch Foundation. If you're worried about online grooming or sexual behaviour online then report directly to the police or contact CEOP. For Children & young people if they're worried or want to talk, encourage them to contact Childline Online or call 0800 1111. Check out our Resource Centre for further information and useful online safety tips. 
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