Early warning system social media: Video stream documents live animal cruelty and domestic violence

Live on the video streaming platform Twitch, a teenager abuses his mother, is abused himself, and then goes after his cat. The details spread on social channels like wildfire. Then, as a form of retaliation, users leak illegally personal Information of the young man. A witch hunt starts and few see that the teenager is a victim himself.

The #cat case is briefly trending on Twitter in Germany. Hundreds join in the hunt against the streamer and declare how abhorrent they find the act against the helpless pet. The case shows how far social media users are willing to go to take revenge in the form of vigilantism. The young man is rarely perceived as a victim of domestic violence. Abuse at home is nothing new. But streaming culture opened a whole new window how law enforcement could monitor possible offenders or re-offenders, as it documents violence and abuse.

In this case, many looked the other way. What can law enforcement learn from this case? What can society learn. Could the case of the young cat torturer help to show the police new ways to identify future acts of and victims of domestic violence? Perhaps a way to intervene earlier? A comment:

The streamer on the gaming streaming platform Twitch is actively involved in the community. He has over 2000 followers. In his channel, he laughs a lot, exchanges ideas. Then terrible videos go viral. Streams are shared in which he beats his pets. Allegedly, a dog and two cats. He abuses them. All documented live in online streaming videos. The community remains silent, until his final, most horrid act emerges.

A most blatant scene. In one video, one can see how the golden cat is cut open, laying on the lap of the teenager. These videos go viral, disgust people. Thousands join in on the debate how to go after the person. By sharing his personal details online, a witch hunt starts.

Although signs of life of the cat are partly audible at the time the video was taken. There is a twitching ear of the pet as the streamer continues to peel the skin off. What happens next is unclear. Allegedly, photo evidence should show, the animal is dead.

Twitch Livestream Video: New ways to observe possible future offenders at home

Whats new is that these videos on Twitch document the lives of youths with their mental and physical problems they are dealing with. In this case, of an arguably mentally ill young man, surrounded by difficult circumstances at home.

The videos show how he really enjoys torturing animals. But also examples that his home is no safe place to grow up in. The thing that drove the masses of online observers is that he does not show any regrets, neither admits any wrongdoing.

It’s all documented in those videostreams. Allegedly he owns two cats and one dog. The young man is now already 18. Some of these videos were already known to the police. There were already investigations due to possible offences against the animal protection law. Those were initiated already in 2021, says the police press office in Oldenburg. But now there were new videos by the young man, the police concedes, justifying new investigations on the basis of an offence against the animal protection law and suspicion of assault.

Many of the personal details of the young man did only come to light after several online entries. Sharing personal data on people that could harm them, is an offence in Germany. In this way, commentators perpetrated a crime. But it also shows: Internet users are pissed off and are willing to go great length to do deal with their anger. Even if that means acting illegally themselves.

The videos are cruel. An atmosphere of vigilante justice spread online. Users collectively gathered all the details possible. Even checked on the correctness of their findings. To the point that someone posts that they are willing to visit the young man in person. From details on specific drugs the person was supposed to be taking to children pictures of the man, these details landed online, details that made the person vulnerable. Few members of the community were bothered by the fact that these data-sharing attempts towards the young man could put him in grave danger.

Sharing personal details of the young man is illegal

According to the paragraph § 126a StGB prohibit simple words, persons information about others to publish, if by the publication of these data a danger to the person is feasible. The streaming community and those later on Telegram, care little about this. For them, the end justifies the means.

On November 16, the address of the boy’s family home is shared together with his name. Several entries point to an address in eastern Germany. Users are hungry for retaliation. As the case trends on Twitter, law enforcement is speaking out. Police are warning users not to share personal information about the disturbing videos. Investigative sources report the police have already been provided with a dossier on the young man.

The young man became a victim himself

Few realised or were bothered by the fact that the young man turned victim of domestic violence. One video leaked, the boy was hit directly in the face by his father live on running streaming camera. Social media accounts mock, however, this has little to do with the fact that the boy has now become an animal abuser.

Scientific studies show a connection between domestic abuse and animal cruelty. A triangle of violence exists between domestic violence, child abuse and maltreatment, and pathological animal cruelty. Those who experience violence themselves at home are at greater risk of becoming tormentors, studies suggest. Somehow these experiences have to be processed. Cruelty to animals is a form of this.

Could someone have noticed the boy’s behavior earlier? Quite possible. The streamer has been around for years. The video streaming community has been reticent to act for too long, some find. But with the video of the tortured cat, even fellow streamers said it was too much, too extreme.

After the mistreatment of his cat, critical voices are also being raised outside the streaming community. Especially on Telegram, this case was discussed. Many commentators called for revenge. The young man should prove that the cat is still alive, they said. At first, he claimed it is dead. Later he claims that it is well. Conflicting statements.

Later, he blames the drugs for his behavior. Fellow streamer Crowie tried to confront him. He just laughed it off, says that he finds everything funny anyway. Exactly these reactions drove many online users mad, calling for stern measures and vigilantism.

If you don’t know about his mistreatment of the pets, the boy actually appears like many other young Twitch streamers. With his short haircut, expressions, and broad smile, he looks like a typical teenager in puberty.

However, whoever looked closely saw he was struggling with mental problems. A number of situations made it plainly visible. Abused by his father, mental health problems, videos showing him inserting objects or urinating into bottles, all these should have been red flags from the start. Yet, no one bothered to intervene.

After the cat videos, the broad social media public quickly joined in on the online hate tirades against the streamer. From the Twitch community it goes to Telegram, where hundreds of young people gave the case their undivided attention. It is still not clear whether the boy really killed his cat. Nevertheless, one account posted: “I’m going to visit the bastard now”.

Conclusion

The documentation of the streamer’s life, the violence, the torments, all on video, is unprecedented. Video streaming makes it possible to track down domestic violence and people with mental health problems. It could be an important lesson for German law enforcement and social services to understand these dynamics.

One fellow streamer wrote on Twitter he had spoken to the boy personally, after the cat video. He said the teenager found the whole topic rather funny: “He also could not provide any evidence that the cat is still alive / he takes medication”.

Experts on hate online, helped out law enforcement before, criticized the streaming community. Over the past two years, no one has felt obligated to report the behavior of the boys, one source said.

@n3ll41, an OSINT specialist and hacktivist against hate online, comments on the case, “A lot must have gone wrong with (the boy). Just look at the boy’s father hitting the boy on camera or the mother walking by while he is hitting his dog.”