The Buffalo shooting in May 2022
The Buffalo shooting, which occurred in May 2022 in the US state of New York and was partially livestreamed on Twitch, could have serious consequences for the operators of online platforms. In the future, they should be able to be held directly accountable by law enforcement authorities for the distribution of film footage of murders and other acts of violence. This is what the New York Attorney General's Office in a report that deals with the tragic events.
Radicalized on the Internet
“The May 14 shooting that left ten people dead and three others injured was also so horrific because it was motivated by a racist white ideology. “The disturbing reality is that this attack is part of an epidemic of acts perpetrated by young men who have been radicalized online,” said the introduction to the report by Letitia James, New York’s acting attorney general. In order to avoid such tragedies, both stricter gun laws and new rules for online portals are needed.
“The Buffalo shooter was not only radicalized on these platforms, he also used these sites to plan, implement and disseminate his crime,” James clarifies. This form of use as a propaganda tool is extremely dangerous and must be stopped urgently. “Videos of murders can be seen as an extension of the actual crime and lead others to commit further acts of violence,” the expert is convinced.
propaganda tools
From the lawyer's point of view, there is only one way to avert or at least reduce such dangers: “New York and other states must enable the prosecution of individuals and companies that help distribute video recordings of murders. This is the only way to limit the reach of these videos and thus reduce their impact as a propaganda tool.”
Online platforms that pay too little attention to what content is shared through them should be held accountable. “This particularly affects live streaming portals, which have already been abused repeatedly to broadcast the massacre to people. “You must ensure that your algorithm no longer promotes such live streams,” the demand states.
Sources
Spiegel
Press Release
Investigative Report on the role of online platforms in the tragic mass shooting in Buffalo/USA on May 14, 2022
Also read: Interpol: Financial and cybercrime are police's biggest concerns worldwide
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