UK Parliament Calls For Social Media Video Autoplay Rethink After WDBJ7 Shooting

UK Parliament Calls For Social Media Video Autoplay Rethink After WDBJ7 Shooting
ERIN MARY Doyle
By ERIN MARY Doyle



MPs have called for social media reform after footage of the WDBJ7 shooting was automatically playing on users’ Twitter and Facebook newsfeeds.

Yesterday, an on-air reporter and cameraman from US network WDBJ7 were shot during a live broadcast by who reports are describing was a “disgruntled employee”. The video footage was then uploaded to social networks by the gunman Vester Lee Flanagan before he shot himself.

The footage of the shooting was being retweeted and posted onto Facebook and Twitter, both these sites have set video content to play automatically by default, many users saw the video without a graphic content warning and without choosing to watch the footage.

The chair of the cross-party Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum (PICTFOR) Matt Warman told the BBC that sites should automatically lock such content.

“Facebook, Google, Microsoft and others have already worked together with government and regulators to prevent people being exposed to illegal, extremist content, using both automatic and manual techniques to identify footage.

“Social media, just like traditional media, should consider how shocking other content can be, and make sure consumers are warned appropriately.”

Twitter users reacted angrily to social media sites auto-playing of the footage.

In other WDBJ7 news, UK’s The Sun has been slammed for their graphic front page of the on-camera murder.




Please login with linkedin to comment

acm Online ads Social Media

Latest News

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]