17 Minutes on Facebook, Forever in People’s Minds (Commentary by Johnathen Tan)
17 Minutes on Facebook, Forever in People’s Minds (Commentary by Johnathen Tan) In a haven for civility like New Zealand, the mass shooting in two Christchurch mosques came as a shock to us all – it struck me when I was most unprepared for it, just casually app-hopping on my phone. Undeniably, social media and technology played an apparent yet disturbing role in publicising this act of terrorism. The world is more social media-oriented than ever – we rekindle long-distance friendships, discover job opportunities, buy and sell stuff – I can go on and on. But what’s really special about it, is that social media gives everyone a voice. We can post and share anything we want. But this matter transcends any regular offensive or derogatory posting on your feed – it involved gruesome taking of innocent human lives, fueled by a hate-filled ideology. The white supremacist streamed himself on Facebook Live for seventeen (17) whole minutes, as he committed the attack on mos...