Parliament calls for social media video autoplay rethink after Virginia shooting
MPs have called for reform of Facebook and Twitter’s autoplay videos after horrendous scenes filmed and uploaded by the Virginia shooter on Wednesday rolled automatically on users’ newsfeeds.
The video was uploaded to social networks after being shot by gunman Vester Lee Flanagan in the first person perspective style of a military-focused video games. After achieving an extensive reach online the account quickly being deleted by Twitter.
The execution automatically ran on social networks without a graphic content warning, distressing an unquantifiable number of users.
To combat the spread of such videos, Matt Warman, the chair of the cross-party parliamentary internet, communications and technology forum (Pictfor), said: “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."
He concluded: "Many people who are ordinarily happy that videos play will have seen shocking footage by accident, without warning of its graphic nature."
Twitter refused to comment on any planned amendments to its autoplay in light of Wednesday’s graphic scenes.