A tragic incident has occurred at Ping Ding Shan Vocational and Technical College in central China. Li Hao, a final year college student, unexpectedly passed away after a period of intense live streaming video games. Li was contracted by a local media company to stream for an astonishing 240 hours over 26 days, along with uploading 15 short videos. This demanding schedule forced him to stream for an average of 9.23 hours per day, leaving little time for rest, study, or other activities. On November 10th, 2023, Li’s roommates found him unresponsive in his sleep. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he was pronounced dead soon after.
The official cause of death is still pending, but concerns about worker exploitation and the dangers of excessive gaming have been raised. Chinese media outlets obtained livestream records, which confirmed that Li had streamed for five consecutive nights before his death. He worked from 9pm to 6am each night, leaving him with only a few hours for sleep and other essential activities. This grueling schedule, combined with the pressure to meet contractual obligations, likely contributed to Li’s exhaustion and subsequent death.
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The media company responsible for Li’s streaming, Henan Qinyi Culture and Media Co., has faced criticism for its role in this tragedy. Critics argue that the company’s demanding schedule and lack of oversight created an environment that jeopardized Li’s health and well-being. However, the company denies any responsibility, claiming that Li was not a formal employee and died in his own rented house during off-hours. This claim has been met with skepticism, as Li was clearly working to fulfill the company’s contractual obligations at the time of his death.
A “cooperation agreement” obtained by China Daily newspaper revealed that Li was obligated to livestream for 240 hours in 26 days and upload 15 short videos each month to earn a minimum salary of 3,000 yuan. Li had been working the day shift since October but tragically died during the night shift on November 10th.
This incident shines a light on the potential dangers of excessive gaming and the need for better regulations and protections for workers in the live streaming industry. It serves as a grim reminder that work-life balance and proper rest should never be compromised for the sake of entertainment.
