Facebook to restrict live video on its sites after Christchurch attack
Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said on Friday the company was looking to restrict live video following the streaming of footage of the Christchurch massacre on its platforms.
The company will monitor who can go "Live" on Facebook depending on factors such as prior community standard violations, Sandberg said in a blog post.
"We have heard feedback that we must do more – and we agree," Sandberg wrote. "In the wake of the terrorist attack, we are taking three steps: strengthening the rules for using Facebook Live, taking further steps to address hate on our platforms, and supporting the New Zealand community."
A lone gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand on March 15, while livestreaming the massacre.
Facebook has identified more than 900 different videos showing portions of the 17-minutes of carnage and has used its existing artificial intelligence tools to identify and remove hate groups in Australia and New Zealand, Sandberg said in her blog.
Last week, the social networking giant said it removed 1.5 million videos globally that had footage of the New Zealand mosque attack in the first 24 hours after the attack.
The company was "investing in research to build better technology to quickly identify edited versions of violent videos and images and prevent people from re-sharing these versions," Sandberg explained.
"People with bad intentions will always try to get around our security measures," she acknowledged. "That’s why we must work to continually stay ahead."
Earlier this week, one of the main groups representing Muslims in France said it was suing Facebook and YouTube, accusing them of inciting violence by allowing the streaming of the video.
Facebook, the world's largest social network with 2.7 billion users, has faced growing discontent over its approach to privacy and user data amid increasing concerns over its advertising practices.
Reuters