New Zealand said on Monday that any possession or sharing of a video showing a mass shooting on Friday that killed at least 50 people has been classed as an offence.
The gunman who attacked two mosques on Friday 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 footage related to the attack has been classed as objectionable, so it is an offence under New Zealand law to possess, share, and/or host it,” said Sarah Stuart-Black, director of New Zealand’s Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.
Facebook Inc said it removed 1.5 million videos globally of the New Zealand mosque attack in the first 24 hours after the attack. It said it is also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content out of respect for the people affected by the mosque shooting and the concerns of local authorities.