The New Zealand shooting video was seen live around 200 times — and nobody reported it


In a statement released late Monday, Facebook provided a range of updates into its handling of Friday's Facebook Live-streamed New Zealand mosque shooting, in which 50 people were killed. Among its most disturbing revelations: that though the video was viewed approximately "200 times during the live broadcast," nobody reported it to the service for 29 minutes, or a full 12 minutes after it ended — by which time it had been "viewed about 4,000 times."
Facebook also said that it had removed a staggering 1.5 million videos of the shooting in the first 24 hours after the attack, 1.2 million of which had been "blocked at upload." Despite this, The Washington Post notes that the video nonetheless spread to other platforms, including YouTube, in the hours after the massacre.
The shooting — the third such incident to be broadcast on Facebook Live since the feature's public debut in 2016 — has led to widespread criticism of Facebook and other social media platforms, including by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. "We cannot simply sit back and accept that these platforms just exist and that what is said on them is not the responsibility of the place where they are published," said Ardern on Tuesday that. "This cannot be a case of all profit, no responsibility."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Facebook said that "We remain shocked and saddened by this tragedy and are committed to working with leaders in New Zealand, other governments, and across the technology industry to help counter hate speech and the threat of terrorism."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jacob Lambert is the art director of TheWeek.com. He was previously an editor at MAD magazine, and has written and illustrated for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, and The Millions.
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocrat
Feature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?
Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlock
Feature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s plan
Speed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU party
Speed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
UK, 3 Western allies recognize Palestinian state
Speed Read Britain, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized the state of Palestine