Mike Smalls Jr.As millions of people across Florida fled Hurricane Milton, Mike Smalls Jr. ventured into the high winds of Tampa, Florida, armed with an air mattress, an umbrella and a bag of ramen noodles.
As storms hit states across the U.S. on Wednesday night, he stepped out of his house and went live on the Kick platform. He told his online audience that if he got 10,000 views, he would throw himself and his mattress into the water.
Once he stepped over the threshold, he dove in headlong. Then he started to worry: “The wind started to pick up and I couldn’t swim… so I had to hold on to the tree.”
The area is under an evacuation order, meaning local officials advise residents to leave their homes for their own safety.
Mack’s hour-long live broadcast from Tampa Bay was viewed more than 60,000 times on streaming platform Kick and has been viewed by millions after being edited and posted on other social media platforms including X Watch.
For content creators looking to make a quick buck, live streaming — filming yourself on the fly — has become increasingly lucrative.
But these live streams can involve dangerous stunts as content creators try to stand out in an increasingly competitive environment.
Many criticized Mike’s behavior on social media, saying he was risking his life for clicks.
He completed the mission safely and told me he would do the risky stunt again “if the price was right.”
When asked about the backlash, he acknowledged that his actions were “controversial” and acknowledged that some may have believed he risked not only his life, but the lives of those who might have to save him. But, he added: “From a content creator’s perspective, people like to see something edgy.”
“Ignoring mandatory evacuation orders will put lives at risk,” the Tampa Police Department said in a statement. “When individuals ignore these warnings, they not only endanger their own safety, but also create additional challenges for first responders who work tirelessly to save lives. .
“Deliberately putting oneself at risk could divert critical resources and delay vital rescue operations for others.”
This year’s hurricane season has devastated parts of the southeastern U.S. coast and killed hundreds.
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as a Category 5 storm at its peak, forcing millions of people to evacuate. At least 16 people died in the storm, millions remained without power and thousands had to be rescued by first responders as flooding inundated their homes.
hurricane Helena and Milton An unusually busy period in the U.S. tropical climate is over. In less than two weeks, five hurricanes formed—not far off from what the Atlantic typically sees year-round.
Mike Smalls Jr.Mike is one of many content creators on social media platforms such as Kick and TikTok who have been live-streaming and making money by performing reckless stunts while risking their lives in hurricanes.
Live content, he said, is Mike’s full-time job.
Stunts previously posted on his profile include setting off fireworks in a bedroom and punching employees at a fast food restaurant.
His plan for live streaming Hurricane Milton: “Get some great clips and then, if things get too crazy, I can just, you know, track my little five and do the 10-minute walk home,” he added.
This isn’t the first time he’s put himself in danger.
A few weeks before Milton hit, he carried a tent as a prop into Hurricane Helene (which also hit Florida) and live-streamed for more than five hours.
He filmed himself on his phone holding up his tent in an underpass, saying he “will survive the hurricane.” Why? Entertain the people”.
Just a few meters away, the sea was breaking through the barrier.
“My job is to entertain and come up with creative things to entertain my chat. If people want to, you know, if they’re inspired by what I do, I respect that,” he said, adding that you have to Measure and use at your own risk.
Platforms like Kick offer incentives: bonuses based on the number of views a streamer gets, as well as donations from people who like what they’re doing.
Smalls Jr didn’t specify how much money he made from the stream, but said metrics vary from streamer to streamer, with some making $300 to $400 an hour. He added that the money he made from his latest stream was enough to pay some bills.
Mike Smalls Jr.Mike said he might do anything to attract attention, but he said he takes safety very seriously. Although he can’t swim, he insists he assessed the risks.
After surviving a natural disaster, he bluffs: “I’m staying here, I’m not dead, I’m chilling.”
When asked to answer specific questions about Smalls Jr and the platform’s responsibility, Kick said that this is “an absolutely creator-first platform and we will not influence the content that creators choose to stream. However, if that content violates our Terms of Service, or are in any way unlawful, then we may impose a ban or suspension.”
They had no comment when asked if Smalls’ actions violated their specific community guidelines, which detail: “Safety First: Prioritize the safety of yourself, your audience, the public and others involved. .
TikTok told the BBC that their monetization guidelines stipulate that certain content is not eligible to make money through the LIVE feature, including “content that deceives or manipulates others… exploits controversial issues to induce participation, or exploits the pain of vulnerable people.”
Mike’s profile – and his Hurricane content – are still available.
When asked about endangering the lives of first responders, Smalls Jr. said he knew what he was getting into.
“Don’t save me,” he said. “What if I start another hurricane? Fine. You don’t have to say anything. I don’t want to put your life in danger. No.”
