Streamer scandal at Diwali festival sparks global outrage – once again, the responsibility of influencers is in the spotlight.
After streamer Sam Pepper fired a firework at a young girl during the Indian Festival of Lights, a new discussion has emerged about the irresponsibility of influencers of this kind.
The British streamer Sam Pepper has once again sparked outrage. During the Diwali celebrations on October 20 in New Delhi, the 35-year-old shot fireworks into a crowd — live-streamed before thousands of viewers.
The result: an eight-year-old girl was injured, the online community is outraged, and platforms such as Kick and Pump.fun have since banned the streamer.
(Unnecessary) Pinch Of Pepper
In a now-deleted livestream, Pepper could be seen taking part in so-called “firework battles” with a group of locals, shooting rockets and firecrackers at each other, apparently for fun. In the video, there’s a moment when Pepper fires a rocket while someone in the background shouts “Headshot!” Moments later, the projectile reportedly hit a young girl. Pepper appears to find the incident hilarious and celebrates himself for the “shot”, until it becomes clear that this time, real harm was done.
At first, reports claimed that the child had lost an eye, a claim Pepper later denied in a statement. However, he admitted that the girl had suffered a cut above her eyebrow. “I feel terrible,” he wrote on Twitter, emphasizing that he had covered the medical costs.
Nevertheless, a storm of outrage followed. Critics accused him of reckless behavior and disrespect toward the Indian festivities. Platforms reacted swiftly: Kick suspended his account, and Pump.fun permanently removed him from their platform.
Attention At Any Cost
The Sam Pepper case stands as a prime example of a growing problem in the world of livestreaming: the addiction to clicks, reach, and scandal.
Many streamers are trying to stand out in an oversaturated market, with increasingly risky or provocative stunts. What once began as harmless “pranks” has, in recent years, evolved into a spiral of boundary-pushing behavior. The more dangerous or morally questionable the content, the greater the chance of going viral, and the higher the potential earnings through donations, subscriptions, or sponsors.
Sam Pepper is by no means an isolated case. Other influencers, such as Ice Poseidon and Johnny Somali, have previously made headlines with actions that pushed the limits of what is acceptable. The streamer XenaTheWitch was even banned from Kick for 1,000 years after shooting an innocent passerby with a paintball gun. But Pepper, who had already faced criticism in his YouTube days for staged harassment “pranks”, has once again taken this escalation to a new extreme.
Responsibility Without Limits?
The core of the problem lies in the lack of regulation and self-control within the scene. Many streamers operate in legal gray areas, as live content is difficult to monitor. While platforms do delete problematic streams or suspend accounts, this usually happens only after public outrage.
Whereas traditional media and film productions often adhere to clear ethical and legal standards, live streamers move in a space where reach outweighs responsibility. The appeal of immediacy and the instant feedback from chats, likes, and viewer counts often leads to reflection and empathy being left behind.
A Wake-Up Call For Streaming Culture
The Diwali incident is more than just the misstep of an individual, it is a wake-up call for the entire industry. Platforms need to ask themselves how they want to handle streamers who seek attention through dangerous stunts. And viewers should reflect on what kind of content they are rewarding with their clicks.
Sam Pepper has since apologized. But the apology does nothing to change the fact that a child was injured. All for the thrill of a livestream.
As long as digital fame remains more important than human responsibility, the fireworks of clicks will continue to spiral out of control.