A Chinese student and video game streamer, identified by the surname Li, has been declared dead, with exhaustion suspected as the cause, after live streaming continuously for five consecutive nights.

According to MailOnline on Wednesday, Li, a final-year student at Henan Pingdingshan Vocational and Technical College, was under contract with a Chinese media company as part of an internship crucial for his graduation in June.

The terms of his contract required him to livestream for 240 hours within 26 days and upload 15 short clips, all to earn a meager minimum salary of 3000 yuan (£323). This commitment translated to Li lives streaming for 38.4% of the days he was contracted, in addition to managing his academic responsibilities and personal life.

Li’s housemates, residing together in Zhengzhou, raised the alarm when they discovered him unresponsive and breathing rapidly during sleep. According to livestream records obtained by a Chinese news outlet, he had been actively streaming for Henan Yihui Culture Media from 9 pm to 6 pm in the five days leading up to his unfortunate death on November 10.

Li’s father revealed that his son had been coerced into taking night shifts for better tips, a claim disputed by the company. While the company denied pressuring Li into the night shifts, a representative acknowledged that many livestreamers struggled with maintaining a work-life balance.

The company asserted that Li was not a formal employee or intern but engaged in “simple cooperation,” providing the location and taking a commission from tips. In an attempt at resolution, the company offered the family 5000 Yuan (£555) “out of humanitarianism,” but insisted that any further compensation requests must follow legal channels.

The deceased student’s father has not confirmed whether he plans to take legal action against the company. He mentioned that the school had offered assistance, and he was exploring compensation options through insurance companies.

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