- More than 1.2 million of the total 1.5 million videos of the mass shooting were blocked at upload.
- The removal of the purported mass shooting videos highlights the daunting task the company faces on properly moderating the site.
Renowned California-based social media giant, Facebook Inc., (Facebook) has reportedly announced that it has removed more than 1.5 million videos of the deadly mass shooting that wreaked havoc on the city of Christchurch, New Zealand a few days ago.
Reports cite, more than 1.2 million of the total 1.5 million videos of the mass shooting were blocked at upload. The removal of the purported mass shooting videos highlights the daunting task the company faces on properly moderating the site.
According to a report by the New Zealand Herald, in the aftermath of the attack, the government of New Zealand informed online social media platforms that the sharing of any version of the video, even heavily edited & censored versions, is a severe violation of law. Facebook claimed that following the attack, dedicated Facebook teams have been working round the clock to remove any content that is in support of the mass shooting as well as other hateful posts.
The social media giant made the announcement on Twitter, which was a follow up on an earlier announcement that claimed that it had removed the Facebook as well as Instagram accounts of the alleged shooter after the authorities alerted it.
The perpetrator behind the terror attack appears to have specifically designed it so to make it go viral on social platforms, these efforts also included the release of a manifesto which referenced popular culture icons such as YouTuber Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie), American conservative commentator Candace Owens and conspiracy theories that were concocted by white supremacist.
According to reports, following the massacre, several world leaders have criticized Facebook over its role in circulating this kind of content with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern indicating that she wants to carry out discussions with the company over its live streaming feature.
