The video sharing platform is currently racing to take down a graphic suicide video. The video has gone viral over the internet for the last few days. It was posted on Facebook, Instagram and now landed on TikTok. Understandably, the platform is leaving no stone unturned to contain the spread of the graphic footage.
The video shows a bearded man talking over a phone then shooting himself with a rifle resulting in a grotesque disfigurement of his face. The video was first live streamed on Facebook in August and quickly went viral on social medias. Apparently some users exploited bait strategies to render videos innocuous to unsuspecting users. After complaints from shocked users, TikTok has amplified their steps to stop the video from going viral.
As of now, the platform is deleting the video right after it is uploaded. It has also warned users that it will suspend the user accounts if they re upload the disturbing video again deeming it an unacceptable violation of their community guidelines. Regarding their initiative, a representative issued the following statement .
“Our systems have been automatically detecting and flagging these clips for violating our policies against content that displays, praises, glorifies, or promotes suicide,” The spokesperson further added, “If anyone in our community is struggling with thoughts of suicide or concerned about someone who is, we encourage them to seek support, and we provide access to hotlines directly from our app and in our Safety Center.”
With Social Media taking the most share of our smartphone consumption, it has not been untouched of undesirable contents. They have become a platform to not just connect with people but also express despair and frustration and at times users have gone at extreme length to make a statement. Not only have users posted bullying and violent videos, they have now become a platform to stream their suicide. Facebook has already come under fire for failing to stop videos of this nature and now TikTok has found itself in the similar territory.
