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Social media's struggle to monitor live streaming thrust into the limelight following wingsuit pilot's death

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By Tony Connelly, Sports Marketing Reporter

August 29, 2016 | 2 min read

An Italian wingsuit pilot unwittingly broadcast his own death using Facebook Live, highlighting the unintended consequences of live streaming which social media platforms are struggling to monitor.

Armin Schmieder

Armin Schmieder

Armin Schmieder was last seen on Facebook Live strapping himself into a red and blue wingsuit before his jump from the 2,279m (7,477ft) Alpschelehubel mountain in the Swiss Alps.

The 28 year-old, from Merano in Italy’s South Tyrol, had been wearing a GoPro camera on his head and was also broadcasting live on Facebook using his phone. Even though Schmieder’s phone was in his pocket during the decent it was still recording sound and the sound of his leap was followed seconds later by a shout, the sound of an impact and cow bells.

Those following the broadcast on Facebook began sending his messages asking him to “write or say something”. Police were subsequently sent to investigate and confirmed that he was dead at the scene of the crash.

Schmieder’s passing follows on from a slew of similar incidents captured live on social media. Earlier this month fellow wingsuit jumper Emanuele Uli was killed when he crashed into a rock face Switzerland. Another incident occurred just five days later when Alexander Polli died after hitting a tree. Both had significant social media followings as a result of filming their daredevil flights.

While social media platforms such as Periscope and Facebook Live closely monitor how people use the technologies they are unable to properly regulate them in real time which continues to pose a problem for widespread use of the technology.

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