Key Highlights:

• Pump.fun’s livestream feature is being misused for violent threats, scams, and inappropriate content.
• The community is divided, shut down livestreams entirely or enforce stricter moderation?

Would you invest in a meme coin while someone’s threatening to harm their pet if you don’t? If that sounds absurd, welcome to the chaotic world of Pump.fun, a meme coin platform now facing heavy criticism as its livestream feature spirals out of control. What started as a quirky way for developers to hype up their tokens has turned into a virtual Wild West of scams, threats, and disturbing behavior.

From Meme Coins to Mayhem: The Livestream Problem

Pump.fun, a platform hailed for its user-friendly approach to creating meme coins, has hit a massive PR snag. While it’s facilitated the creation of over 3.8 million tokens and raked in $215 million in revenue since its launch, its livestream feature has been grossly misused.

The most shocking cases include users issuing threats of violence toward pets, self-harm ultimatums, and even financial scams. In one horrifying livestream, a developer declared he would harm himself if his token didn’t reach a specific market cap. Another user reportedly raised $30,000 for a project called QUANT, only to abandon it, leaving investors empty-handed and furious.

Beau, a safety advocate at Pudgy Penguins, summed up the community’s frustration: “Shut down the livestream feature. This is out of control.”

Community Divided: Shutdown or Moderate?

The Pump.fun community is torn. Some members are calling for the livestream feature to be axed entirely, while others are demanding stricter moderation as a middle ground. Eddie, a legal intern and outspoken critic, didn’t hold back: “Most of the content is conceptually lazy and outright dangerous. This isn’t creativity, it’s chaos.”

Despite the uproar, Pump.fun executives are defending the platform. Alon, a company spokesperson, explained, “Our moderation isn’t perfect, but we’re constantly improving. We encourage users to report violations immediately.” The company claims it employs a team of moderators and engineers working 24/7 to address problematic content.

The Bigger Picture: Creativity vs. Responsibility

The fiasco highlights a broader issue in Web3 platforms: balancing creative freedom with user safety. While Pump.fun has provided a launchpad for innovative projects, its inability to manage misuse could jeopardize its credibility.

Ironically, while the platform is grappling with these controversies, its financial performance continues to impress. Since March 2024, it has earned $215 million. But as the platform grows, its challenges multiply. Without decisive action, Pump.fun risks becoming a case study in what not to do when scaling a crypto business.