Javid says ‘enough is enough’ after footage spreads on social media
Social media companies must improve their response times in removing terrorist content, the government has said in the wake of widespread sharing of footage livestreamed to Facebook by a gunman in the New Zealand mosque shootings.
The 17-minute video, which appeared to show people inside the Masjid Al Noor mosque in Christchurch being killed and wounded by a gunman, circulated widely across Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter and forum Reddit, alongside many other websites and news organisation pages. While both New Zealand prime minister Jacin- da Ardern and police forces urged internet users not to share images and videos of the attacks, in which at least 49 people were killed between the two mosques, footage has continued to be uploaded and hosted.
Adowningstreetspokes- man criticised the platforms’ lack of urgency in removing the content, saying there should be “no safe spaces” for terrorists to promote and share their extreme views and radicalise others.
Home secretary Sajid Javid has told social media companies “enough is enough” after footage of the attack spread rapidly on social networks.
Facebook, Google-owned Youtube and Twitter said they were working to suspend and remove accounts and videos relating to the attacks.
A Facebook spokesperson said it had deleted the account of the shooter and removed the footage and comments in “praise or support” for the shootings.