New Zealand PM calls for united response against social media platforms being used for violence
Jacinda Ardern said the problem of social media being misused needs ‘to confront collectively’.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Wednesday called for a united global front against social media being used for violence, AFP reported. She made the statement five days after a terrorist killed 50 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch.
The attacker, a white supremacist, streamed the shooting. Facebook said the livestream from Christchurch was viewed less than 200 times and that it removed 1.5 million videos soon after the footage of the shooting went viral.
Ardern said that while the incident occurred in New Zealand and that her focus was on its citizens, the problem of social media being misused needs “to confront collectively”.
“We cannot, for instance, just simply deal with some of the issues we face with our social media to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis,” she said. “There is an argument there to be made for us to take a united front on a global issue. This is not just an issue for New Zealand, the fact that social media platforms have been used to spread violence [and] material that incites violence. All of us need to present a united front.”
The New Zealand Police has also charged an 18-year-old man with distributing a live stream of the mass shooting. The man, whose name has been withheld, reportedly posted a photo of one of the mosques with the message “target acquired”.
New Zealanders came out in large numbers on Sunday to pay tribute to the 50 people who were killed in Friday’s terror attack. Memorial services and vigils were held all across the country, with Arden visiting a service held at the Kilbirnie Mosque in Wellington.