Pokimane has decided to drop the facade and wants to sponsor legislation that attacks online criticism. This move strikes at one of the very foundations of a free internet.
In a recent stream Imane “Pokimane” Anys, 26 year-old Twitch partnered streamer, revealed she wants to end online criticism. In the stream Pokimane says that she wants to “facilitate the creation of legislation that holds people accountable for the actions that they do online” she continues “I think there’s some companies I’m gonna message — not companies, organizations that are involved with certain causes and I’ll be like, ‘listen, if you ever need someone to… (makes talking gesture with her hands)… I’m you girl.””
The key takeaway from Pokimane’s confusing and unfocused ramble, though she appears to be reading off of a script she prepared, is that the streamer intends to contact companies and groups that push for online online censorship an government regulation of the internet and petition to be their spokesperson. This is ironic considering Pokimane has been involved in several incidents of unsavory online activity, from her frequent use of the n-word, to her doxing children, to assembling her fans into hate mobs and sending them to harass her critics and anyone that associates with them. Any organization that truly cares about combating bullying and online hate would not jump into bed with a figure with such a questionable moral track record.
This move from Pokimane indicates that the streamer is looking to join the ranks of infamous figures such as Anita Sarkeesian and Brianna Wu, that champion the cause of destorying the internet as we know it for the sake of protecting themselves from criticism online. It is clear to anyone that has spent any amount of time online that Pokimake has earned a lot of bad will with the internet through her own terrible behavior online and refusal to take responsibility and grow from her mistakes. Instead the streamer sees a career turn into a lobbyist for rich powerful organizations, that have a stake in seeing the internet under their control via the government, as a wise move.
In the short-term Pokimane may be able to cash what is left of her credibility with the internet in return for slice of the pie if the government and their special interest partners gain control of the internet. In the long-term this could be the final blow to Pokimane’s already flagging internet fame. And, by helping to create more dangerous censorship laws in the vein of SOPA and PIPA she would complete her transformation into one of the biggest villains in internet history.
GameTama 