Listen to Facebook Feed with Brandon Ellis
Weeks after the horrific mosque massacre in New Zealand, the story continues to strike an emotional chord. Privacy commissioner, John Edwards, called Facebook ‘morally bankrupt liars’ in a recent tweet. Edwards’ rather impassioned remarks come after Facebook streamed the cold blooded killing of 50 people at a New Zealand mosque according to CNN.
In a report from The Guardian, Edwards went onto say of Facebook:
“They are morally bankrupt pathological liars who enable genocide (Myanmar), facilitate foreign undermining of democratic institutions...allow the live streaming of suicides, rapes, and murders, continue to host and publish the mosque attack video, allow advertisers to target ‘Jew haters’ and other hateful market segments, and refuse to accept any responsibility for any content or harm.”
The Facebook video showcasing the massacre went viral across numerous platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Controversy and chaos has arisen with YouTube celebrity, Pewdiepie being unjustly connected to the attack and a wide array of tributes circulating throughout the web; all incidents confirmed by The Verge. Amidst the storm of social media madness, Edwards has since deleted his tweets saying that they attracted "toxic and misinformed traffic," according to The Guardian.
Why would Facebook be the target for such hate? From an NPR report by Matthew S. Schwartz, a vice president from the company claimed that, “fewer than 200 people saw the Christchurch massacre while it was being streamed live on the site.” It was however later confirmed that the view count was much closer to 4,000.
Privacy commissioner Edwards explained that Facebook, “is a technology which is capable of causing great harm,” during an RNZ interview. Disgusted by just how public the massacre was, Edwards openly called for change on the platform. Facebook CEO, The Guardian, quotes Mark Zuckerberg rebutting Edwards claims saying that the shootings, “were the result of “bad actors”; not bad technology and a time delay would disrupt the enjoyment of users who broadcast events like birthday parties or group hangouts.”
How did Facebook respond to the shootings in the first place? It would seem that their statements fell more closely in line to Edwards’ views than Zuckerberg’s. According to BBC News, a letter from Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg read the following:
“Many of you have also rightly questioned how online platforms such as Facebook were used to circulate horrific videos of the attack... We have heard feedback that we must do more - and we agree.”
After paying respects to the victims and their loved ones, Sandberg stated, “we are exploring restrictions on who can go Live depending on factors such as prior Community Standard violations." So while Zuckerberg himself may not be in favor of changing Facebook, the company itself is doing its best to find a proper middle ground. Regardless of what Facebook did or did not say, Edwards remains far from pleased.
If Edwards is not using Facebook and its valuable live streaming services, how will he communicate with the New Zealand public? The Guardian suggests that his office is, “considering what other platforms it could use to broadcast the prime minister’s video messages, including a separate, dedicated website,” instead of sticking with Facebook.
The world of Facebook continues to rupture from its near-endless stream of controversy. One thing is for certain however: the company needs to get its act together in order to win back New Zealand’s support.