Pump.fun Livestream Misuse Leaves the Community Stunned

Can a platform that allows anyone to mint tokens for free handle the ethical consequences of unmoderated content? Pump.fun’s live streaming feature is at the center of an uncomfortable debate.

Live broadcasts became deadly

Pump.fun, a decentralized platform for creating Solana (SOL)-based tokens, has found itself at the center of a rapidly growing crypto controversy.

Originally known as a tool to empower creators, Pump.fun allows users to launch their own tokens without paying any fees. It also facilitates community engagement through various features, making it a popular choice among the crypto community.

The platform recently introduced a live streaming feature that aims to increase user engagement and provide creators with a direct channel to connect with their audience.

But what started as a promising addition turned into a disturbing misuse of the tool, leaving the crypto community stunned.

Rather than promoting tokens or encouraging genuine discussion, some users have abused the livestream feature in deeply disturbing ways, turning it into a platform of shock and despair.

The seriousness of the situation came to light when Beau, Pudgy Penguins’ security product manager, reported one of the most alarming incidents.

Hey @pumpdotfun There is currently someone using your livestreams threatening to hang themselves if the coin doesn’t reach a certain market value.

It’s absolutely disgusting and needs to come down and see if you can help them.

Turn off the live broadcast feature. This is out of control.

— Beau (@beausecurity) 25 November 2024

During a livestream on Pump.fun, a user allegedly threatened to hang himself if his token did not reach a certain market value. The situation got worse when Beau revealed that the individual later shared a recording showing him carrying out the threat.

The appeal of Pump.fun’s live streaming feature lies in its simplicity: anyone can share their token journey with a global audience in real time. But this unchecked availability has unleashed a flood of exploitation, revealing a deeply disturbing aspect of human behavior.

What was designed to increase community involvement turned out to be the scene of unimaginable horrors. Recent broadcasts on the platform have gone far beyond the limits of shock, leaving viewers not only disturbed but also deeply traumatized.

In one particularly egregious incident, a token creator threatened to take “unthinkable actions” if the cryptocurrency reached a market cap of $25 million.

Here’s the shotgun entertainment “developer” eating his own shit.

As the coin rises, it will do worse things.

And he’ll punch himself with a pineapple for $25 million.

Now is the time for the government to step in.

pic.twitter.com/07ejK1WZLe

— Crypto Bitlord (@crypto_bitlord7) 24 November 2024

The livestream, which featured graphic images of the individual, quickly spread across the platform and social media, sparking widespread outrage.

But this was just the tip of the iceberg. A terrible pattern emerged in which each current increased depravity. In one case, a boy as young as 12 brandished a shotgun and threatened to kill his family unless his token reached a certain market value.

People are being killed in pump fun.

And today a 12 year old boy threatened to execute his family in the next room (with a shotgun) if the price did not increase.

Only God can save us now. And I pray for everyone involved 🙏 pic.twitter.com/1vh7ZSspdp

— Crypto Bitlord (@crypto_bitlord7) 25 November 2024

In another incident, a couple was seen hitting their toddler repeatedly, promising to stop only when their coins reached a certain value.

This week in pump fun:

– Man acting like a dog
– Man sitting on the toilet and refusing to move until the coin reaches 25 million.
– The man threatened to shoot his dog if the coin did not reach 1 million.
– Man who threatens to hang himself if the coin doesn’t reach 1 million.
– Youth…

— TMA (@Tma_420) 25 November 2024

Even animals were dragged into this terrible sight. In one particularly disturbing livestream, a man pointed a gun at his dog and declared that he would shoot unless the value of his token increased to $11 million.

Abuse of the platform extends beyond acts of violence. Posts containing disturbing content, including sexually suggestive material featuring minors and animals, have emerged and shock value has been treated as a marketing tactic, further eroding any semblance of safety or trustworthiness.

At the time of this writing, Pump.fun had removed the live streaming section from its website.

Promises, defenses and an angry crypto community

The backlash against Pump.fun reached new heights this week, prompting the platform’s anonymous founder known only as “Alon” to make a public statement about X.

Since the livestreaming meta has fully kicked in, many people have come forward with very legitimate concerns about what content is allowed on the platform

Let me make this very clear: We actively moderate illegal content on the site. this includes…

— lonely (@a1lon9) 22 November 2024

In the statement, Alon sought to address growing concerns about disturbing misuse of Pump.fun’s live streaming feature. Although the message was intended to clarify the platform’s stance and reassure users, it deeply angered the community.

Alon began by acknowledging the community’s “legitimate concerns” about livestreamed harmful content. He insisted that the platform actively polices illegal material, including images, videos, streams and comments.

However, this claim is thought to be disconnected from the horrific events that continue to plague the platform. Alon defended Pump.fun’s commitment to freedom of expression and emphasized the importance of balancing expression with the responsibility to prevent dangerous or offensive content.

He even drew parallels with platforms like X and Reddit that allow pornographic materials but label them as NSFW (Not Safe for Work). He argued that users can opt out of such content by changing a filter.

However, this framework failed to address the heart of the problem. It’s not just about labeling NSFW content; It’s about the platform’s failure to prevent dangerous and harmful live broadcasts from being broadcast in the first place.

Although Alon mentions a “large team of moderators working around the clock,” the continued existence of these posts indicates a critical gap in oversight.

The public reaction was swift and brutal. A common thread in the criticisms is the belief that Pump.fun’s leadership did not do enough to stop the damage. “The nonsense you allow on your platform is disgraceful,” one user wrote.

The nonsense you allow on your platform is disgraceful. Please improve your moderation skills before more people get hurt, traumatized, and give crypto a bad name

— princesspeach (@Elli_tweets_) 25 November 2024

Another user accused the platform of complicity in the damage by “continuing to offer bandwidth” for such content.

People are actively harming themselves on these livestreams, and you are complicit by continuing to offer bandwidth for this feature.

Close it.

— Whytepaper (@Whytepaper) 25 November 2024

To many, Alon suggested, the tools and promises of moderation were hollow. One angry user warned that the site’s inaction could invite regulatory scrutiny and potentially impact the wider crypto space.

This site will shine a spotlight on the area of ​​crypto enforcement policies that no one wants to regulate crypto exchanges and turn everyone’s world upside down. @pumpdotfun stop your live broadcasts!!

— nobody is you (@ipxppxrcs) 25 November 2024

Another referred to the arrest of Telegram’s founder this year and said ominously: “I hope they arrest you too.”

Until meaningful changes become visible, the platform risks not only user churn but also its place in the crypto ecosystem, leaving many wondering whether unlimited decentralization is too big a risk to bear.

Where does Pump.fun stand now?

Amid the storm of controversy, Pump.fun finds itself at a critical point. The platform once known for its effortless token creation on Solana is now facing scrutiny, and data from Dune Analytics reveals the stark reality of its current situation.

Pump.fun has achieved lifetime revenue of close to $250 million as of November 25; This is a staggering number for a platform that only saw significant traction in April and May 2024.

Pump.fun’s cumulative income statement | Source: Dune Analytics

However, the debate that broke out on November 23 brought about both a financial rise and a rapid decline. On the day public outrage spread on social media, Pump.fun recorded its highest daily revenue ever, at $14.4 million.

But what happened next was sudden and dramatic. As of November 24, revenue fell to $3.75 million; a drop of nearly 74% in just 24 hours. Although still above the platform’s historical daily average, the sharp decline suggests the reaction is already having tangible effects.

Strangely, the frenzy around token launches shows no signs of slowing down. More than 50,000 tokens were minted in the last 24 hours alone, bringing the platform’s lifetime total to nearly 4 million tokens.

Pump.fun’s mass token launch chart | Source: Dune Analytics

For many creators, the ease of minting tokens remains a strong appeal, seemingly unaffected by the ethical questions looming over Pump.fun.

But this growth comes at a price. The platform’s unmoderated content and growing reputation as a haven for extreme behavior could soon put it squarely in the crosshairs of regulators.

As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House in January 2025, his pro-crypto stance could signal significant changes for the industry.

While the Trump administration may support broader adoption of crypto, platforms like Pump.fun that operate in decentralized, largely unregulated spaces could face scrutiny.

Whether Pump.fun adapts to overcome these challenges or falls victim to its own success will be a defining moment not only for the platform, but also for the decentralized ecosystem it represents.