Facebook said Friday it struck a deal in which Apple agreed to temporarily forgo its cut of revenue from paid events at the leading social network to help pandemic-hit performers earn money during the pandemic.

The social network had asked Apple to skip its usual 30 percent cut of transactions in mobile apps prior to enable the Facebook Live streaming to be used to create, promote and host paid events from concerts and theatrical performances to yoga classes and cooking lessons.

Apple agreed to a respite through the end of the year "after which struggling businesses will have to, yet again, pay Apple the full 30 percent App Store tax," Facebook spokesman Joe Osborne said in response to an AFP inquiry.

Apple originally stuck to its commission, but has since had a change of heart, according to Facebook.

The temporary reprieve means that transactions for events in Live on the iOS platform can be handled by Facebook's payment system instead of Apple's network, the social network said.

Gaming creators, however, will still have to use Apple's commission-collecting payment system for live events on its mobile devices, according to Facebook gaming vice president Vivek Sharma.

Facebook said it would not collect any fees from paid online events while businesses remain closed for the pandemic, until at least August 2021.

Apple did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. It has defended the commission to cover the costs of managing the App Store and protecting user security, but critics say the commission is an abuse of its position.

Other app developers have argued that Apple's commission is a "tax" and can thwart competitors.

Apple and Fortnite maker Epic Games are in a legal battle over the matter, with a hearing in the case slated for Monday.

Facebook said Friday it struck a deal in which Apple agreed to temporarily forgo its cut of revenue from paid events at the leading social network to help pandemic-hit performers earn money during the pandemic.

Facebook said Friday it struck a deal in which Apple agreed to temporarily forgo its cut of revenue from paid events at the leading social network to help pandemic-hit performers earn money during the pandemic. The social network had asked Apple to skip its usual 30 percent cut of transactions in mobile apps prior to enable the Facebook Live streaming to be used to create, promote and host paid events from concerts and theatrical performances to yoga classes and cooking lessons. Apple agreed to a respite through the end of the year "after which struggling businesses will have to, yet again, pay Apple the full 30 percent App Store tax," Facebook spokesman Joe Osborne said in response to an AFP inquiry. Apple originally stuck to its commission, but has since had a change of heart, according to Facebook. The temporary reprieve means that transactions for events in Live on the iOS platform can be handled by Facebook's payment system instead of Apple's network, the social network said. Gaming creators, however, will still have to use Apple's commission-collecting payment system for live events on its mobile devices, according to Facebook gaming vice president Vivek Sharma. Facebook said it would not collect any fees from paid online events while businesses remain closed for the pandemic, until at least August 2021. Apple did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. It has defended the commission to cover the costs of managing the App Store and protecting user security, but critics say the commission is an abuse of its position. Other app developers have argued that Apple's commission is a "tax" and can thwart competitors. Apple and Fortnite maker Epic Games are in a legal battle over the matter, with a hearing in the case slated for Monday.

Facebook gets reprieve from Apple on live events cut

It wasn't only the moves to ban&nbsp;Thailand's most vocal opposition party that brought Gift onto the&nbsp;street&nbsp;for the first time.

The 25-year-old landscape architect was also stung by taunts that her&nbsp;generation&nbsp;was not brave enough to go beyond online comments in challenging the army-dominated establishment's enduring hold since elections to end junta rule.

She and other first-timers joined veterans of Bangkok's turbulent decades of&nbsp;street&nbsp;protest&nbsp;as thousands rallied at the weekend in the biggest demonstration since a 2014 coup.

"They say the&nbsp;new&nbsp;generation&nbsp;only exists on social media, so we're out here to show we have a voice too," said Chattip Aphibanpoonpon, who like many&nbsp;Thais goes by her nickname.

"The conflict used to be about people on two sides. Now it's a battle between the military and the people. It's not fair."

In a country long roiled by bloody&nbsp;protests and punctuated by coups in the name of ending them Saturday's peaceful rally was a reminder of the tension that is building again rapidly between the establishment and those seeking change.

At the forefront is 41-year-old auto-parts billionaire <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-join-biggest-protest-for-years-in-thai-capital-268301">Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit</a>, who was recently banned as a member of parliament and whose Future Forward party faces dissolution.

In both cases, party supporters believe the legal grounds are spurious and designed to eliminate a challenge to Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/country-now-fully-democratic-says-thai-pm-prayuth-chan-ocha-after-resigning-as-military-head-236228">Prayuth Chan-Ocha</a>, the former junta leader who stayed on after March elections the opposition says were manipulated.

"This is just the beginning," Thanathorn told&nbsp;protesters who spilled in afternoon sunshine across walkways and staircases between a Bangkok shopping mall and art gallery.

The&nbsp;protest&nbsp;was called just a day before as a "flash mob" by Thanathorn's Facebook Live and a single&nbsp;tweet&nbsp;that got nearly 67,000 retweets and 41,000 likes.

It is Future Forward's social media heft as well as pledges to change the army-drafted constitution and to end conscription - that have the army worried.

Army chief Apirat Kongsompong has said&nbsp;Thailand faces a situation of "hybrid war" against a movement he accuses of seeking to use social media to rally people against the army and the powerful palace.

"The young people are enthusiastic and determined and full of energy, but they don't see through politicians' tricks," said Warong Dechgitvigrom, a right-wing politician who sees Future Forward as an existential threat to&nbsp;Thailand and its monarchy.

Government spokeswoman<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/small-explosions-in-bangkok-as-city-hosts-asean-foreign-ministers-meet-240067"> Narumon Pinyosinwat</a> said the party should express its opinions through parliament rather than on the&nbsp;street, but she did not expect the situation to escalate.

The turnout was a reflection of growing political engagement among young people, but would not necessarily spiral, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the political science faculty at Ubon Ratchathani University.

"I don’t see it becoming a serious movement like in the past or on the scale of Hong Kong," he said.

Widespread coverage on social media underscored the extent to which the opposition leads the government on that front.

Thanathorn has 1.1 million Facebook followers and 670,000 on his @Thanathorn_FWP Twitter account, compared with Prayuth's 770,000 and 55,000 for @prayutofficial on Twitter.

That social media heft helped Future Forward into third place in the March election, after the traditional opposition party Pheu&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;and a pro-army party backing Prayuth.

The question has been whether online activism would translate into a readiness to take to the&nbsp;street. And it hasn't only been establishment parties casting doubt.

Before Saturday's rally, veteran activist Anurak Jeantawanich challenged Future Forward supporters as "only using hashtags, but afraid to take to the&nbsp;streets". If fewer than 2,000 people showed up "you might as well just let your party be disbanded", he said.

Several thousand gathered, if not the 10,000 plus claimed by organisers.

"I'm come&nbsp;from&nbsp;social media," read a placard held by Pisit Iewlatanawadee, a 29-year-old business owner&nbsp;from&nbsp;Nakhon Pathom in central&nbsp;Thailand.

"We're not only good at typing," he said. "We also want to participate in opposition to authoritarian government."

Rafah Supanphong, 25, told Reuters: "They keep saying we are only brave on online platforms, it encouraged me to come out."

The younger&nbsp;protesters joined many older "red shirts" who recalled years of&nbsp;street&nbsp;clashes and bullets in their support for ousted populist prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in clashes with pro-establishment "yellow shirts".

At the weekend&nbsp;protest, veteran Thaksin&nbsp;protesters sat munching sticky rice&nbsp;from&nbsp;wicker containers as young professionals took selfies nearby.

Earlier, the Pheu&nbsp;Thai&nbsp;party of the self-exiled Thaksin said it backed the rally by "younger brother" Thanathorn.

A small group of police challenged the rally organisers for holding a demonstration without notice, but they made no attempt to stop it. On Monday, police said they were investigating whether the law had been broken.

Future Forward said it had not been a political rally so it did not need to give notice.

The next challenge for the authorities is a "Run Against Dictatorship" that activists are organising for January 12. A run Facebook page already has more than 28,000 likes.

Like many of those who joined Saturday's&nbsp;protest, Chattip is no radical tempered by hardship in a country where the traditional political fault-line has been between a Bangkok-based elite and the poorer north and northeast.

She works at a company that prides itself on harmonious garden and landscape designs. Her Instagram feed tracks good food, smiling friends and foreign adventures.

"The middle-class tend to not want to participate because we can afford to live normally no matter who the government is. But that's not the way it should be," she said.

"We want democracy back ... Now is the time."

It wasn't only the moves to ban Thailand's most vocal opposition party that brought Gift onto the street for the first time. The 25-year-old landscape architect was also stung by taunts that her generation was not brave enough to go beyond online comments in challenging the army-dominated establishment's enduring hold since elections to end junta rule.

It wasn't only the moves to ban Thailand's most vocal opposition party that brought Gift onto the street for the first time. The 25-year-old landscape architect was also stung by taunts that her generation was not brave enough to go beyond online comments in challenging the army-dominated establishment's enduring hold since elections to end junta rule. She and other first-timers joined veterans of Bangkok's turbulent decades of street protest as thousands rallied at the weekend in the biggest demonstration since a 2014 coup. "They say the new generation only exists on social media, so we're out here to show we have a voice too," said Chattip Aphibanpoonpon, who like many Thais goes by her nickname. "The conflict used to be about people on two sides. Now it's a battle between the military and the people. It's not fair." In a country long roiled by bloody protests and punctuated by coups in the name of ending them Saturday's peaceful rally was a reminder of the tension that is building again rapidly between the establishment and those seeking change. At the forefront is 41-year-old auto-parts billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, who was recently banned as a member of parliament and whose Future Forward party faces dissolution. In both cases, party supporters believe the legal grounds are spurious and designed to eliminate a challenge to Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, the former junta leader who stayed on after March elections the opposition says were manipulated. "This is just the beginning," Thanathorn told protesters who spilled in afternoon sunshine across walkways and staircases between a Bangkok shopping mall and art gallery. The protest was called just a day before as a "flash mob" by Thanathorn's Facebook Live and a single tweet that got nearly 67,000 retweets and 41,000 likes. It is Future Forward's social media heft as well as pledges to change the army-drafted constitution and to end conscription - that have the army worried. Army chief Apirat Kongsompong has said Thailand faces a situation of "hybrid war" against a movement he accuses of seeking to use social media to rally people against the army and the powerful palace. "The young people are enthusiastic and determined and full of energy, but they don't see through politicians' tricks," said Warong Dechgitvigrom, a right-wing politician who sees Future Forward as an existential threat to Thailand and its monarchy. Government spokeswoman Narumon Pinyosinwat said the party should express its opinions through parliament rather than on the street, but she did not expect the situation to escalate. The turnout was a reflection of growing political engagement among young people, but would not necessarily spiral, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the political science faculty at Ubon Ratchathani University. "I don’t see it becoming a serious movement like in the past or on the scale of Hong Kong," he said. Widespread coverage on social media underscored the extent to which the opposition leads the government on that front. Thanathorn has 1.1 million Facebook followers and 670,000 on his @Thanathorn_FWP Twitter account, compared with Prayuth's 770,000 and 55,000 for @prayutofficial on Twitter. That social media heft helped Future Forward into third place in the March election, after the traditional opposition party Pheu Thai and a pro-army party backing Prayuth. The question has been whether online activism would translate into a readiness to take to the street. And it hasn't only been establishment parties casting doubt. Before Saturday's rally, veteran activist Anurak Jeantawanich challenged Future Forward supporters as "only using hashtags, but afraid to take to the streets". If fewer than 2,000 people showed up "you might as well just let your party be disbanded", he said. Several thousand gathered, if not the 10,000 plus claimed by organisers. "I'm come from social media," read a placard held by Pisit Iewlatanawadee, a 29-year-old business owner from Nakhon Pathom in central Thailand. "We're not only good at typing," he said. "We also want to participate in opposition to authoritarian government." Rafah Supanphong, 25, told Reuters: "They keep saying we are only brave on online platforms, it encouraged me to come out." The younger protesters joined many older "red shirts" who recalled years of street clashes and bullets in their support for ousted populist prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in clashes with pro-establishment "yellow shirts". At the weekend protest, veteran Thaksin protesters sat munching sticky rice from wicker containers as young professionals took selfies nearby. Earlier, the Pheu Thai party of the self-exiled Thaksin said it backed the rally by "younger brother" Thanathorn. A small group of police challenged the rally organisers for holding a demonstration without notice, but they made no attempt to stop it. On Monday, police said they were investigating whether the law had been broken. Future Forward said it had not been a political rally so it did not need to give notice. The next challenge for the authorities is a "Run Against Dictatorship" that activists are organising for January 12. A run Facebook page already has more than 28,000 likes. Like many of those who joined Saturday's protest, Chattip is no radical tempered by hardship in a country where the traditional political fault-line has been between a Bangkok-based elite and the poorer north and northeast. She works at a company that prides itself on harmonious garden and landscape designs. Her Instagram feed tracks good food, smiling friends and foreign adventures. "The middle-class tend to not want to participate because we can afford to live normally no matter who the government is. But that's not the way it should be," she said. "We want democracy back ... Now is the time."

From tweet to street: New generation joins Thai protest

Facebook announced Wednesday it would tighten access to its live streaming feature as New Zealand's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-votes-to-amend-gun-laws-after-christchurch-attack-209275">premier Jacinda Ardern</a> and French leader Emmanuel Macron prepared to launch the global "Christchurch Call" initiative to tackle the spread of extremism online.

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has been under intense pressure since March when a white supremacist gunman used Facebook Live to stream his rampage at two mosques in the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/new-zealand-has-not-yet-seen-intel-linking-sri-lanka-bombings-to-christchurch-pm-212941"> New Zealand city of Christchurch</a>, which left 51 people dead.

The California-based platform said it would ban Facebook Live users who shared extremist content and seek to reinforce its own internal controls to stop the spread of offensive videos.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/facebook-under-pressure-to-censor-hate-speech-217637/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

"Following the horrific recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand, we've been reviewing what more we can do to limit our services from being used to cause harm or spread hate," Facebook vice-president of integrity Guy Rosen said in a statement.

&nbsp;

Ardern and Macron will later issue the Christchurch Call to fight the spread of hateful and terror-related content along with leaders from Britain, Canada, Norway, Jordan and Senegal, who will also be in Paris.

The largely symbolic initiative is intended to keep up the pressure on social media companies who face growing calls from politicians across the world to stop their platforms being abused.

"It's an action plan, it's the start of something," Ardern told CNN in an interview on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Many countries have already tightened legislation to introduce penalties for companies that fail to take down offensive content once it is flagged by authorities.

"We need to get in front of this (problem) before harm is done," Ardern added. "This is not just about regulation, but bringing companies to the table and saying they have a role too."&nbsp;

The political meeting in Paris will run in parallel to an initiative launched by Macron called "Tech for Good" which will bring together 80 tech chiefs to discuss how to harness technologies for the common good.

The heads of US tech giants Wikipedia, Uber, Twitter, Microsoft and Google will attend, but not Zuckerberg who held private one-to-one talks with Macron last week.

The social network giant will instead be represented by its vice president for global affairs and communications Nick Clegg, the former British deputy premier.

"I've spoken to Mark Zuckerberg directly twice now... and he did give Facebook's support for this call to action," Ardern said.

The US government has not endorsed the Christchurch Call and will only be represented at a junior level at a meeting of G7 digital ministers which is also taking place on Wednesday in Paris.

In an opinion piece in The New York Times over the weekend, Ardern said the Christchurch massacre underlined "a horrifying new trend" in extremist atrocities.

"It was designed to be broadcast on the internet. The entire event was livestreamed... the scale of this horrific video's reach was staggering," she wrote.

Ardern said Facebook removed 1.5 million copies of the video within 24 hours of the attack, but she still found herself among those who inadvertently saw the footage when it auto-played on their social media feeds.

Around 8,000 New Zealanders called a mental health hotline after seeing the video, she told CNN.

"(We're) asking both nations and private corporations to make changes to prevent the posting of terrorist content online, to ensure its efficient and fast removal and to prevent the use of livestreaming as a tool for broadcasting terrorist attacks," she wrote in The Times.

In Wednesday's statement, Facebook acknowledged the inadequacy of its own systems.

"One of the challenges we faced in the days after the attack was a proliferation of many different variants of the video of the attack," vice-president of integrity Rosen said.

"People -- not always intentionally -- shared edited versions of the video which made it hard for our systems to detect."

New Zealand officials said Ardern found a natural partner for the fight against online extremism in Macron, who has repeatedly stated that the status quo is unacceptable.

"Macron was one of the first leaders to call the prime minister after the attack, and he has long made removing hateful online content a priority," New Zealand's ambassador to France, Jane Coombs, told journalists on Monday.

"It's a global problem that requires a global response," she said.

A French presidential source said it was time for tech companies to "anticipate how their features will be exploited."

Firms themselves will be urged to come up with concrete measures, the source said, for example by reserving live broadcasting to social media accounts whose owners have been identified.

Facebook announced Wednesday it would tighten access to its live streaming feature as New Zealand's premier Jacinda Ardern and French leader Emmanuel Macron prepared to launch the global "Christchurch Call" initiative to tackle the spread of extremism online.

Facebook announced Wednesday it would tighten access to its live streaming feature as New Zealand's premier Jacinda Ardern and French leader Emmanuel Macron prepared to launch the global "Christchurch Call" initiative to tackle the spread of extremism online. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has been under intense pressure since March when a white supremacist gunman used Facebook Live to stream his rampage at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, which left 51 people dead. The California-based platform said it would ban Facebook Live users who shared extremist content and seek to reinforce its own internal controls to stop the spread of offensive videos. "Following the horrific recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand, we've been reviewing what more we can do to limit our services from being used to cause harm or spread hate," Facebook vice-president of integrity Guy Rosen said in a statement. Ardern and Macron will later issue the Christchurch Call to fight the spread of hateful and terror-related content along with leaders from Britain, Canada, Norway, Jordan and Senegal, who will also be in Paris. The largely symbolic initiative is intended to keep up the pressure on social media companies who face growing calls from politicians across the world to stop their platforms being abused. "It's an action plan, it's the start of something," Ardern told CNN in an interview on Wednesday. Many countries have already tightened legislation to introduce penalties for companies that fail to take down offensive content once it is flagged by authorities. "We need to get in front of this (problem) before harm is done," Ardern added. "This is not just about regulation, but bringing companies to the table and saying they have a role too." The political meeting in Paris will run in parallel to an initiative launched by Macron called "Tech for Good" which will bring together 80 tech chiefs to discuss how to harness technologies for the common good. The heads of US tech giants Wikipedia, Uber, Twitter, Microsoft and Google will attend, but not Zuckerberg who held private one-to-one talks with Macron last week. The social network giant will instead be represented by its vice president for global affairs and communications Nick Clegg, the former British deputy premier. "I've spoken to Mark Zuckerberg directly twice now... and he did give Facebook's support for this call to action," Ardern said. The US government has not endorsed the Christchurch Call and will only be represented at a junior level at a meeting of G7 digital ministers which is also taking place on Wednesday in Paris. In an opinion piece in The New York Times over the weekend, Ardern said the Christchurch massacre underlined "a horrifying new trend" in extremist atrocities. "It was designed to be broadcast on the internet. The entire event was livestreamed... the scale of this horrific video's reach was staggering," she wrote. Ardern said Facebook removed 1.5 million copies of the video within 24 hours of the attack, but she still found herself among those who inadvertently saw the footage when it auto-played on their social media feeds. Around 8,000 New Zealanders called a mental health hotline after seeing the video, she told CNN. "(We're) asking both nations and private corporations to make changes to prevent the posting of terrorist content online, to ensure its efficient and fast removal and to prevent the use of livestreaming as a tool for broadcasting terrorist attacks," she wrote in The Times. In Wednesday's statement, Facebook acknowledged the inadequacy of its own systems. "One of the challenges we faced in the days after the attack was a proliferation of many different variants of the video of the attack," vice-president of integrity Rosen said. "People -- not always intentionally -- shared edited versions of the video which made it hard for our systems to detect." New Zealand officials said Ardern found a natural partner for the fight against online extremism in Macron, who has repeatedly stated that the status quo is unacceptable. "Macron was one of the first leaders to call the prime minister after the attack, and he has long made removing hateful online content a priority," New Zealand's ambassador to France, Jane Coombs, told journalists on Monday. "It's a global problem that requires a global response," she said. A French presidential source said it was time for tech companies to "anticipate how their features will be exploited." Firms themselves will be urged to come up with concrete measures, the source said, for example by reserving live broadcasting to social media accounts whose owners have been identified.

Facebook to curb live streaming amid pressure over 'Christchurch Call'

A gunman who killed 49 people at two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/funerals-begin-for-new-zealand-mosque-shootings-victims-suspect-to-appear-in-court-203676">New Zealand mosques</a> live-streamed the attacks on Facebook for 17 minutes using an app designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, with copies still being shared on social media hours later.

The live footage of Friday's attacks, New Zealand's worst-ever <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/this-is-not-new-zealand-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-203669">mass shooting</a>, was first posted to Facebook and has since been shared on Twitter, Alphabet Inc's YouTube and Facebook-owned Whatsapp and Instagram.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all said they had taken steps to remove copies of the videos. Facebook said it had deleted the gunman's accounts "shortly after the livestream commenced" after being alerted by police.

The videos of the shooting were available on all five platforms up to 10 hours after the attacks, which began at 1345 local time in the city of Christchurch. Twitter and Google said they were working to stop the footage being reshared. Facebook did not immediately respond to additional questions.

In a 15-minute window, five copies of the footage on YouTube uploaded under the search term "New Zealand" and tagged with categories including "education" and "people &amp; blogs". In another case, the video was shared by a verified Instagram user in Indonesia with more than 1.6 million followers. The user did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Facebook, Twitter, Alphabet Inc and other social media companies have previously acknowledged the challenges they face policing content on their platforms.

The shootings in New Zealand show how the services they offer can be exploited by extremist groups, said Lucinda Creighton, senior advisor to the Counter Extremism Project. She said the attacks were shown live on Facebook for 17 minutes before being stopped.

"Extremists will always look for ways to utilise communications tools to spread hateful ideologies and violence," she said. "Platforms can't prevent that, but much more can be done by platforms to prevent such content from gaining a foothold and spreading."

Computer game carnage&nbsp;

The gunman filmed and shared the attacks using a mobile phone app called LIVE4, which allows users to broadcast directly to Facebook from personal body cameras, according to the app's developer and a Reuters review of videos available online.

The app is usually used to share videos of extreme sports and live music, but on Friday the footage recreated the carnage of a computer game, showing the attacker's first-person view as he drove to one mosque, entered it and began shooting randomly at people inside.

Alex Zhukov, founder and chief technology officer of LIVE4 developer VideoGorillas, said the LIVE4 services transmitted footage directly to Facebook and his company did not have the ability to review it first.

"The stream is not analysed, stored or processed by LIVE4 in any way, we have no ability (even if we wanted to) to look at the live streams as they are happening or after it's completed," he said in written comments to Reuters.

"The responsibility for content of the stream lies completely and solely on the person who initiated the stream."

He said the company condemned "the actions of these horrible persons and their disgusting use of our app for these purposes ... We will do whatever is humanly possible for it to never happen again."

New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs said people posting the video online risked breaking the law.

"The content of the video is disturbing and will be harmful for people to see," the department said. "We are working with social media platforms, who are actively removing this content as soon as they are made aware of an instance of it being posted."

But private online communities dedicated to violent content were still looking for ways to share copies of the video.

Members of a group called "watchpeopledie" on internet discussion board Reddit, for example, discussed how to share the footage even as the website took steps to limit its spread.

Reddit - which has over 20 investors, including Conde Nast owner Advance Publications - said it was actively monitoring the situation in New Zealand.

"Any content containing links to the video stream are being removed in accordance with our site-wide policy," it said.

One Reddit user said in a post they had sent a video of the attack to more than 600 people before having their account temporarily suspended for sharing violent content.

A gunman who killed 49 people at two New Zealand mosques live-streamed the attacks on Facebook for 17 minutes using an app designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, with copies still being shared on social media hours later.

A gunman who killed 49 people at two New Zealand mosques live-streamed the attacks on Facebook for 17 minutes using an app designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, with copies still being shared on social media hours later. The live footage of Friday's attacks, New Zealand's worst-ever mass shooting, was first posted to Facebook and has since been shared on Twitter, Alphabet Inc's YouTube and Facebook-owned Whatsapp and Instagram. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube all said they had taken steps to remove copies of the videos. Facebook said it had deleted the gunman's accounts "shortly after the livestream commenced" after being alerted by police. The videos of the shooting were available on all five platforms up to 10 hours after the attacks, which began at 1345 local time in the city of Christchurch. Twitter and Google said they were working to stop the footage being reshared. Facebook did not immediately respond to additional questions. In a 15-minute window, five copies of the footage on YouTube uploaded under the search term "New Zealand" and tagged with categories including "education" and "people & blogs". In another case, the video was shared by a verified Instagram user in Indonesia with more than 1.6 million followers. The user did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. Facebook, Twitter, Alphabet Inc and other social media companies have previously acknowledged the challenges they face policing content on their platforms. The shootings in New Zealand show how the services they offer can be exploited by extremist groups, said Lucinda Creighton, senior advisor to the Counter Extremism Project. She said the attacks were shown live on Facebook for 17 minutes before being stopped. "Extremists will always look for ways to utilise communications tools to spread hateful ideologies and violence," she said. "Platforms can't prevent that, but much more can be done by platforms to prevent such content from gaining a foothold and spreading." Computer game carnage The gunman filmed and shared the attacks using a mobile phone app called LIVE4, which allows users to broadcast directly to Facebook from personal body cameras, according to the app's developer and a Reuters review of videos available online. The app is usually used to share videos of extreme sports and live music, but on Friday the footage recreated the carnage of a computer game, showing the attacker's first-person view as he drove to one mosque, entered it and began shooting randomly at people inside. Alex Zhukov, founder and chief technology officer of LIVE4 developer VideoGorillas, said the LIVE4 services transmitted footage directly to Facebook and his company did not have the ability to review it first. "The stream is not analysed, stored or processed by LIVE4 in any way, we have no ability (even if we wanted to) to look at the live streams as they are happening or after it's completed," he said in written comments to Reuters. "The responsibility for content of the stream lies completely and solely on the person who initiated the stream." He said the company condemned "the actions of these horrible persons and their disgusting use of our app for these purposes ... We will do whatever is humanly possible for it to never happen again." New Zealand's Department of Internal Affairs said people posting the video online risked breaking the law. "The content of the video is disturbing and will be harmful for people to see," the department said. "We are working with social media platforms, who are actively removing this content as soon as they are made aware of an instance of it being posted." But private online communities dedicated to violent content were still looking for ways to share copies of the video. Members of a group called "watchpeopledie" on internet discussion board Reddit, for example, discussed how to share the footage even as the website took steps to limit its spread. Reddit - which has over 20 investors, including Conde Nast owner Advance Publications - said it was actively monitoring the situation in New Zealand. "Any content containing links to the video stream are being removed in accordance with our site-wide policy," it said. One Reddit user said in a post they had sent a video of the attack to more than 600 people before having their account temporarily suspended for sharing violent content.

17 minutes of carnage: How New Zealand gunman broadcast his killings on Facebook

Facebook on Monday said it was stepping up the use of artificial intelligence to identify members of the leading social network who may be thinking of suicide.

Software will look for clues in posts or even in videos being streamed at Facebook Live, then fire off reports to human reviewers and speed up alerts to responders trained to help, according to the social network.

&quot;This approach uses pattern recognition technology to help identify posts and live streams as likely to be expressing thoughts of suicide,&quot; Facebook vice president of product management Guy Rosen said in a blog post.

Signs watched for were said to include texts by people or comments to them, such as someone asking if they are troubled.

Facebook already has tools in place for people to report concerns about friend&#39;s who may be considering self-harm, but the software can speed the process and even detect signs people may overlook.

&quot;There have been terribly tragic events -- like suicides, some live-streamed -- that perhaps could have been prevented if someone had realized what was happening and reported them sooner,&quot; Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said early this year in a post at the social network focused on building global community.

&quot;Artificial intelligence can help provide a better approach.&quot;

Facebook is rolling out the artificial intelligence tool outside the US and planned to make it eventually available everywhere except the European Union, where data usage is restricted by privacy regulations.

Facebook has been collaborating with mental health organizations for about a decade on ways to spot signs users may be suicidal and get them help.

Software will look for clues in posts or even in videos being streamed at Facebook Live, then fire off reports to human reviewers and speed up alerts to responders trained to help

Facebook on Monday said it was stepping up the use of artificial intelligence to identify members of the leading social network who may be thinking of suicide. Software will look for clues in posts or even in videos being streamed at Facebook Live, then fire off reports to human reviewers and speed up alerts to responders trained to help, according to the social network. "This approach uses pattern recognition technology to help identify posts and live streams as likely to be expressing thoughts of suicide," Facebook vice president of product management Guy Rosen said in a blog post. Signs watched for were said to include texts by people or comments to them, such as someone asking if they are troubled. Facebook already has tools in place for people to report concerns about friend's who may be considering self-harm, but the software can speed the process and even detect signs people may overlook. "There have been terribly tragic events -- like suicides, some live-streamed -- that perhaps could have been prevented if someone had realized what was happening and reported them sooner," Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said early this year in a post at the social network focused on building global community. "Artificial intelligence can help provide a better approach." Facebook is rolling out the artificial intelligence tool outside the US and planned to make it eventually available everywhere except the European Union, where data usage is restricted by privacy regulations. Facebook has been collaborating with mental health organizations for about a decade on ways to spot signs users may be suicidal and get them help.

Facebook using artificial intelligence to spot signs of suicide

A man in Phuket filmed himself killing his child and then himself on Facebook Live, Thai police said Tuesday, the latest example of the social network&#39;s live-streaming function being used to broadcast grisly crimes.

People could access the videos of the child&#39;s murder on her father&#39;s Facebook page for roughly 24 hours&nbsp;until they were taken down around 5 pm&nbsp;in Bangkok (1000 GMT) on Tuesday, or about a day after being uploaded.

Officers on the southern resort island said they were alerted to the video by friends of the man and rushed to an abandoned hotel near the international airport on Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

&quot;They had already died when I arrived there,&quot; Lieutenant Jullaus Suvannin, one of the first on the scene, told AFP, adding a smartphone was found propped up against a wall.

Police said they believed the man had previously argued with the mother of the murdered child, an 11-month-old girl. The man had hanged himself and his daughter, they said.

Channel 3 television broadcast footage of the child&#39;s distraught mother, flanked by relatives, picking up both her daughter&#39;s body and the man&#39;s corpse from the local hospital on Tuesday.

Facebook was not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;

The killing comes just days after Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg vowed to work to keep the world&#39;s leading social network from being used to propagate harrowing acts like murder and suicide.

Zuckerberg was responding to pressure after a man in the US state of Ohio used Facebook Live to broadcast footage of himself walking up to a stranger in the street and shooting him dead.

The killer went on to fatally shoot himself after a massive manhunt and police chase.&nbsp;

During a speech last Wednesday Zuckerberg conceded that Facebook had &quot;a lot of work&quot; to do on the issue.&nbsp;

&quot;We are going to work on building common ground, not just getting more opinions out there,&quot; he added.

Phuket&#39;s governor called on Thais not to share the four-minute clip of the murder and suicide, copies of which could still be found on the social network on Tuesday afternoon.

(AFP)

This is only the latest example of a grisly crime being livestreamed on the world's largest social network

A man in Phuket filmed himself killing his child and then himself on Facebook Live, Thai police said Tuesday, the latest example of the social network's live-streaming function being used to broadcast grisly crimes. People could access the videos of the child's murder on her father's Facebook page for roughly 24 hours until they were taken down around 5 pm in Bangkok (1000 GMT) on Tuesday, or about a day after being uploaded. Officers on the southern resort island said they were alerted to the video by friends of the man and rushed to an abandoned hotel near the international airport on Monday afternoon. "They had already died when I arrived there," Lieutenant Jullaus Suvannin, one of the first on the scene, told AFP, adding a smartphone was found propped up against a wall. Police said they believed the man had previously argued with the mother of the murdered child, an 11-month-old girl. The man had hanged himself and his daughter, they said. Channel 3 television broadcast footage of the child's distraught mother, flanked by relatives, picking up both her daughter's body and the man's corpse from the local hospital on Tuesday. Facebook was not immediately available for comment. The killing comes just days after Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg vowed to work to keep the world's leading social network from being used to propagate harrowing acts like murder and suicide. Zuckerberg was responding to pressure after a man in the US state of Ohio used Facebook Live to broadcast footage of himself walking up to a stranger in the street and shooting him dead. The killer went on to fatally shoot himself after a massive manhunt and police chase. During a speech last Wednesday Zuckerberg conceded that Facebook had "a lot of work" to do on the issue. "We are going to work on building common ground, not just getting more opinions out there," he added. Phuket's governor called on Thais not to share the four-minute clip of the murder and suicide, copies of which could still be found on the social network on Tuesday afternoon. (AFP)

Thai man kills daughter, then himself on Facebook Live

A Swedish court on Tuesday sentenced three young men to prison for gang raping a woman and livestreaming the attack on Facebook.&nbsp;

Reza Mohammed Ahmadi, 21, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for rape and accessory to rape, while Maysam Afshar, 18, was sentenced to one year in prison for rape, a reduced sentence because of his age.

Both are Afghan citizens who have been granted residency in Sweden.&nbsp;

Emil Khodagholi, a 21-year-old Swedish citizen, was sentenced to six months in prison for aggravated defamation for posting the rape on Facebook, and for failing to report it.&nbsp;

The men were arrested in the town of Uppsala northwest of Stockholm on January 22 after members of a closed Facebook group, which has 60,000 members, saw the attack streamed live and alerted police.

The film has since been removed from Facebook but it has been circulated on the internet.

Swedish prosecutors argued that Khodagholi had encouraged his friends, and &quot;laughed and in close proximity filmed the incident with his mobile phone, and posted it live or very shortly after the rape on Facebook&quot;.&nbsp;

All three denied committing any crime. Ahmadi and Afshar admitted having sex with the woman but said it was consensual.

Khodagholi argued he was not the only one to film the events, and claimed he was unaware the victim did not want the images to be public.&nbsp;

But prosecutors said the woman was &quot;heavily drunk&quot; and &quot;under the influence of drugs&quot;, which the men must have also noticed, the Uppsala district court said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;It&#39;s not possible for a person in such a situation to consent (to sex),&quot; judge Nils Palbrant said in a statement.&nbsp;

The men were also ordered to pay damages totalling 335,000 kronor ($38,000, 34,850 euros) to the victim.&nbsp;

(AFP)

People in a closed Facebook group, which has 60,000 members, saw the attack streamed live and alerted police

A Swedish court on Tuesday sentenced three young men to prison for gang raping a woman and livestreaming the attack on Facebook. Reza Mohammed Ahmadi, 21, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison for rape and accessory to rape, while Maysam Afshar, 18, was sentenced to one year in prison for rape, a reduced sentence because of his age. Both are Afghan citizens who have been granted residency in Sweden. Emil Khodagholi, a 21-year-old Swedish citizen, was sentenced to six months in prison for aggravated defamation for posting the rape on Facebook, and for failing to report it. The men were arrested in the town of Uppsala northwest of Stockholm on January 22 after members of a closed Facebook group, which has 60,000 members, saw the attack streamed live and alerted police. The film has since been removed from Facebook but it has been circulated on the internet. Swedish prosecutors argued that Khodagholi had encouraged his friends, and "laughed and in close proximity filmed the incident with his mobile phone, and posted it live or very shortly after the rape on Facebook". All three denied committing any crime. Ahmadi and Afshar admitted having sex with the woman but said it was consensual. Khodagholi argued he was not the only one to film the events, and claimed he was unaware the victim did not want the images to be public. But prosecutors said the woman was "heavily drunk" and "under the influence of drugs", which the men must have also noticed, the Uppsala district court said in a statement. "It's not possible for a person in such a situation to consent (to sex)," judge Nils Palbrant said in a statement. The men were also ordered to pay damages totalling 335,000 kronor ($38,000, 34,850 euros) to the victim. (AFP)

Sweden jails trio for Facebook livestream gang rape

US police on Monday widened a manhunt for a gunman who shot and killed an elderly man, and then posted a video of the seemingly random Easter Sunday attack on Facebook.

Police in Cleveland, Ohio said they believe the suspect, 37-year-old Steve Stephens, is armed and dangerous. Federal authorities offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Stephens&#39;s arrest.

Cleveland police on Monday alerted authorities in four nearby states -- Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan -- to be on the lookout for Stephens. Later in the day, they expanded their search nationwide.&nbsp;

&quot;Our reach now is basically all over this country,&quot; said Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams.&nbsp;

&quot;This is what we would consider a national search.&quot;

Robert Godwin Sr, 74, was shot and killed on Sunday, apparently at random, as he walked home after an Easter dinner, police and local media reported.

&quot;We know that Steve is still out there someplace,&quot; Williams said. &quot;We don&#39;t know his condition and, of course, right now we don&#39;t know his location. We&#39;re asking the public to remain vigilant.&quot;

Police issued an arrest warrant for aggravated homicide against Stephens, described as a six-foot one-inch, 244-pound (1.85 m, 110-kilo) black man with a full beard who was last seen in a white Ford Fusion with temporary license plates.

Authorities said that they were assuming he was still with his vehicle more than 24 hours after the murder.&nbsp;

In a video uploaded to Stephens&#39;s Facebook page, a man resembling him is seen exiting a vehicle and approaching his victim, who is shown with a gun to his head and then falling to the ground after a shot is fired.

&quot;I killed 13, so I&#39;m working on 14 as we speak,&quot; the suspect says in a second video clip. &quot;I&#39;m just driving around hitting motherfuckers, man. I just snapped man, fuck.&quot;

So far, however, police say they are aware of just one victim killed by Stephens.

Mad with his girlfriend

Since the shooting, Facebook has taken down Stephens&#39;s videos.&nbsp;

&quot;This is a horrific crime and we do not allow this kind of content on Facebook,&quot; the company said in a statement. &nbsp;

&quot;We work hard to keep a safe environment on Facebook, and are in touch with law enforcement in emergencies when there are direct threats to physical safety.&quot;

Stephens&#39;s mother told CNN she called him on Sunday after learning about the video and he told her he was shooting people because he was &quot;mad with his girlfriend.&quot;

Police said the woman he referred to was in a safe place.

Cleveland detectives also made contact with Stephens by phone early in the investigation, Williams said.

&quot;They tried to, of course, convince him to turn himself in and, of course, that hasn&#39;t happened to date,&quot; he said.

Earlier reports that Stephens might be on the run in Pennsylvania were not correct, police said.&nbsp;

Dozens of searches&nbsp;

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Marshals Service have joined the hunt.

&quot;This man is dangerous and he could be nearby, he could be far away, anywhere in between,&quot; said Stephen Anthony, the FBI special agent in charge.

&quot;We&#39;re going to make this individual&#39;s world very, very, very small, so I&#39;m very optimistic,&quot; said Peter Elliot, the marshal on the case. &quot;I think things are going to happen, and I believe things are going to happen pretty quickly.&quot;

But Williams said police had searched dozens of locations overnight &quot;to no avail.&quot;

&quot;If there&#39;s somebody who is helping Steve or think you&#39;re helping Steve, you&#39;re really not. You&#39;re going to get yourself in trouble, along with him,&quot; he warned.

Stephens worked for Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency serving children through mental health services, foster care and adoption, at-risk youth and other programs.&nbsp;

In his video, Stephens displayed his Beech Brook badge.

&quot;We are shocked and horrified like everyone else,&quot; Nancy Kortemeyer, a spokeswoman for the facility told CNN.&nbsp;

&quot;To think that one of our employees could do this is awful.&quot;

(AFP)

'Our reach now is basically all over this country,' said Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams

US police on Monday widened a manhunt for a gunman who shot and killed an elderly man, and then posted a video of the seemingly random Easter Sunday attack on Facebook. Police in Cleveland, Ohio said they believe the suspect, 37-year-old Steve Stephens, is armed and dangerous. Federal authorities offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Stephens's arrest. Cleveland police on Monday alerted authorities in four nearby states -- Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana and Michigan -- to be on the lookout for Stephens. Later in the day, they expanded their search nationwide. "Our reach now is basically all over this country," said Cleveland police chief Calvin Williams. "This is what we would consider a national search." Robert Godwin Sr, 74, was shot and killed on Sunday, apparently at random, as he walked home after an Easter dinner, police and local media reported. "We know that Steve is still out there someplace," Williams said. "We don't know his condition and, of course, right now we don't know his location. We're asking the public to remain vigilant." Police issued an arrest warrant for aggravated homicide against Stephens, described as a six-foot one-inch, 244-pound (1.85 m, 110-kilo) black man with a full beard who was last seen in a white Ford Fusion with temporary license plates. Authorities said that they were assuming he was still with his vehicle more than 24 hours after the murder. In a video uploaded to Stephens's Facebook page, a man resembling him is seen exiting a vehicle and approaching his victim, who is shown with a gun to his head and then falling to the ground after a shot is fired. "I killed 13, so I'm working on 14 as we speak," the suspect says in a second video clip. "I'm just driving around hitting motherfuckers, man. I just snapped man, fuck." So far, however, police say they are aware of just one victim killed by Stephens. Mad with his girlfriend Since the shooting, Facebook has taken down Stephens's videos. "This is a horrific crime and we do not allow this kind of content on Facebook," the company said in a statement. "We work hard to keep a safe environment on Facebook, and are in touch with law enforcement in emergencies when there are direct threats to physical safety." Stephens's mother told CNN she called him on Sunday after learning about the video and he told her he was shooting people because he was "mad with his girlfriend." Police said the woman he referred to was in a safe place. Cleveland detectives also made contact with Stephens by phone early in the investigation, Williams said. "They tried to, of course, convince him to turn himself in and, of course, that hasn't happened to date," he said. Earlier reports that Stephens might be on the run in Pennsylvania were not correct, police said. Dozens of searches The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Marshals Service have joined the hunt. "This man is dangerous and he could be nearby, he could be far away, anywhere in between," said Stephen Anthony, the FBI special agent in charge. "We're going to make this individual's world very, very, very small, so I'm very optimistic," said Peter Elliot, the marshal on the case. "I think things are going to happen, and I believe things are going to happen pretty quickly." But Williams said police had searched dozens of locations overnight "to no avail." "If there's somebody who is helping Steve or think you're helping Steve, you're really not. You're going to get yourself in trouble, along with him," he warned. Stephens worked for Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency serving children through mental health services, foster care and adoption, at-risk youth and other programs. In his video, Stephens displayed his Beech Brook badge. "We are shocked and horrified like everyone else," Nancy Kortemeyer, a spokeswoman for the facility told CNN. "To think that one of our employees could do this is awful." (AFP)

US: Search widens for man accused of posting video of murder on Facebook

In a shocking development from the Dominican Republic, two radio journalists were shot after gunmen opened fire during a news bulletin which was being broadcast on Facebook Live.

According to the Guardian, Lu&iacute;s Manuel Medina, the presenter of the news programme Milenio Caliente, was killed while on air on Tuesday morning, while producer and director Leo Mart&iacute;nez was shot dead in an adjacent office at the radio station FM 103.5.

Gunfire could be heard during the Facebook Live video, along with a woman yelling &quot;Shots! Shots! Shots!&quot; before the transmission abruptly cuts off.

Police said the shooting occurred in San Pedro de Macor&iacute;s. Three men have been arrested, but none have been charged, as the Police says they do not have a motive yet.&nbsp;

(ANI)&nbsp;

Two radio journalists were shot after gunmen opened fire during a news bulletin which was being broadcast on Facebook Live

In a shocking development from the Dominican Republic, two radio journalists were shot after gunmen opened fire during a news bulletin which was being broadcast on Facebook Live. According to the Guardian, Luís Manuel Medina, the presenter of the news programme Milenio Caliente, was killed while on air on Tuesday morning, while producer and director Leo Martínez was shot dead in an adjacent office at the radio station FM 103.5. Gunfire could be heard during the Facebook Live video, along with a woman yelling "Shots! Shots! Shots!" before the transmission abruptly cuts off. Police said the shooting occurred in San Pedro de Macorís. Three men have been arrested, but none have been charged, as the Police says they do not have a motive yet. (ANI)

Journalists shot dead during Facebook Live in Dominican Republic

Facebook accidentally declared live users dead, acknowledging after fixing the problem on Friday that it had committed a &quot;terrible error&quot;.

&quot;For a brief period today, a message meant for memorialised profiles was mistakenly posted to other accounts,&quot; a Facebook spokesperson told AFP.

&quot;This was a terrible error that we have now fixed.&quot;

Media reports indicated that some two million errant memorials were posted on profile pages. The social network apologized and said it work as quickly as possible to correct the problem.

&quot;Damn. I should have used Facebook Live to show how I was Facebook Dead,&quot; Search Engine Land editor Danny Sullivan said in a message fired off at Twitter.

Facebook Live feature lets people broadcast video in real-time at the leading social network.&nbsp;

Even very-much-alive &nbsp;Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was memorialised in a message at his profile page expressing hope people who loved him would take comfort in posts people shared in tribute to his life.

The mistaken memorial notices contained links to forms that can be submitted to have people&#39;s accounts at the leading social network modified into online memorials after they die.

Part of the process is showing proof of death.

(AFP)

For a brief period on Friday, a message meant for memorialised profiles was mistakenly posted to other accounts, including Mark Zuckerberg's

Facebook accidentally declared live users dead, acknowledging after fixing the problem on Friday that it had committed a "terrible error". "For a brief period today, a message meant for memorialised profiles was mistakenly posted to other accounts," a Facebook spokesperson told AFP. "This was a terrible error that we have now fixed." Media reports indicated that some two million errant memorials were posted on profile pages. The social network apologized and said it work as quickly as possible to correct the problem. "Damn. I should have used Facebook Live to show how I was Facebook Dead," Search Engine Land editor Danny Sullivan said in a message fired off at Twitter. Facebook Live feature lets people broadcast video in real-time at the leading social network. Even very-much-alive Facebook co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg was memorialised in a message at his profile page expressing hope people who loved him would take comfort in posts people shared in tribute to his life. The mistaken memorial notices contained links to forms that can be submitted to have people's accounts at the leading social network modified into online memorials after they die. Part of the process is showing proof of death. (AFP)

Facebook makes 'terrible error', accidentally declares live users dead

Just a day after an extremist attacked a French police couple and broadcast himself inside their home on Facebook Live, a man in Chicago was shot and killed while video streaming on the social network this week. 
 
Wednesday&#39;s shooting, taking place just a few days after the Orlando, Florida massacre at a gay nightclub, was a stark depiction of the gun violence that has plagued the United States and fueled a rise in murders in one of its premiere cities. 
 
In the Facebook Live video, Antonio Perkins, 28, inadvertently captured his own murder. 
 
He can be seen broadcasting selfie-style on his smartphone, when suddenly about a dozen gunshots ring out in quick succession. 
 
The video failed to capture who is shooting, and its image is dark because the incident took place at 8:43 pm. 
 
Perkins immediately drops the phone, after which there is only audio as panicked voices can be heard trying to keep the man alive. 
 
&quot;Oh my God!&quot; a woman screams. 
 
&quot;Call the police! Hurry up!&quot; a man says. 
 
&quot;Tony, you&#39;re good Tony,&quot; says another woman, talking to the victim. 
 
Perkins died from gunshot wounds to the neck and head, according to police, who say they have made no arrests in the ongoing investigation. 
 
Officials say Perkins was a documented gang member, but people who knew the man told Chicago TV station WGN that he was no longer in a gang and that he was likely not the intended target of the shooting. 
 
&quot;Stop judging us like that. His life really did matter,&quot; a woman identified as a friend of Perkins told WGN. 
 
&#39;End the killing fields&#39; 
 
At least 13 other people were wounded in shootings in the city on Wednesday, according to a tally by the Chicago Tribune. 
 
There have been some 269 murders so far this year, a staggering 49 per cent increase from the same period a year ago, according to statistics released by Chicago police. 
 
&quot;We must end the killing fields,&quot; said civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. 
 
Jackson was speaking to a room of journalists about an upcoming summit his Rainbow PUSH Coalition is holding on a range of issues -&nbsp;from the upcoming presidential elections, to alleviating poverty in African American neighborhoods. 
 
Gun violence topped the agenda, especially after the shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. 
 
Jackson said that while the mass shooting was a national tragedy, gay violence in cities like Chicago continues to claim lives. 
 
&quot;We need a White House conference on violence, poverty and urban reconstruction,&quot; Jackson said. &quot;Chicago is a major transit station for guns and drugs.&quot; 
 
The Orlando killer, Omar Mateen, used a pistol and a Sig Sauer MCX rifle, an assault weapon originally designed for US Special Operations forces. 
 
There has been much debate in the US about the role of assault rifles, automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and whether they have a place in American society. 
 
Under considerable political pressure, the US Senate is expected to take up several gun-control measures next week. 
 
Wednesday&#39;s live-streamed shooting came as Facebook was dealing with the killings in France of a police officer and his partner a day earlier. The assailant who committed the murder used Facebook Live to issue threats. 
 
Facebook said it was cooperating with French authorities and that it treated &quot;takedown requests by law enforcement with the highest urgency.&quot; 
 
&quot;We do understand and recognize that there are unique challenges when it comes to content and safety for live videos,&quot; a Facebook spokeswoman said. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a serious responsibility, and we work hard to strike the right balance between enabling expression while providing a safe and respectful experience.&quot;

The video failed to capture who was shooting

Just a day after an extremist attacked a French police couple and broadcast himself inside their home on Facebook Live, a man in Chicago was shot and killed while video streaming on the social network this week. Wednesday's shooting, taking place just a few days after the Orlando, Florida massacre at a gay nightclub, was a stark depiction of the gun violence that has plagued the United States and fueled a rise in murders in one of its premiere cities. In the Facebook Live video, Antonio Perkins, 28, inadvertently captured his own murder. He can be seen broadcasting selfie-style on his smartphone, when suddenly about a dozen gunshots ring out in quick succession. The video failed to capture who is shooting, and its image is dark because the incident took place at 8:43 pm. Perkins immediately drops the phone, after which there is only audio as panicked voices can be heard trying to keep the man alive. "Oh my God!" a woman screams. "Call the police! Hurry up!" a man says. "Tony, you're good Tony," says another woman, talking to the victim. Perkins died from gunshot wounds to the neck and head, according to police, who say they have made no arrests in the ongoing investigation. Officials say Perkins was a documented gang member, but people who knew the man told Chicago TV station WGN that he was no longer in a gang and that he was likely not the intended target of the shooting. "Stop judging us like that. His life really did matter," a woman identified as a friend of Perkins told WGN. 'End the killing fields' At least 13 other people were wounded in shootings in the city on Wednesday, according to a tally by the Chicago Tribune. There have been some 269 murders so far this year, a staggering 49 per cent increase from the same period a year ago, according to statistics released by Chicago police. "We must end the killing fields," said civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. Jackson was speaking to a room of journalists about an upcoming summit his Rainbow PUSH Coalition is holding on a range of issues - from the upcoming presidential elections, to alleviating poverty in African American neighborhoods. Gun violence topped the agenda, especially after the shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others. Jackson said that while the mass shooting was a national tragedy, gay violence in cities like Chicago continues to claim lives. "We need a White House conference on violence, poverty and urban reconstruction," Jackson said. "Chicago is a major transit station for guns and drugs." The Orlando killer, Omar Mateen, used a pistol and a Sig Sauer MCX rifle, an assault weapon originally designed for US Special Operations forces. There has been much debate in the US about the role of assault rifles, automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and whether they have a place in American society. Under considerable political pressure, the US Senate is expected to take up several gun-control measures next week. Wednesday's live-streamed shooting came as Facebook was dealing with the killings in France of a police officer and his partner a day earlier. The assailant who committed the murder used Facebook Live to issue threats. Facebook said it was cooperating with French authorities and that it treated "takedown requests by law enforcement with the highest urgency." "We do understand and recognize that there are unique challenges when it comes to content and safety for live videos," a Facebook spokeswoman said. "It's a serious responsibility, and we work hard to strike the right balance between enabling expression while providing a safe and respectful experience."

28-year-old Chicagoan live streams his own murder on Facebook

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