PM Jacinda Ardern wants answers from FB after livestream of NZ shooting

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg got in touch with her and offered condolences post the shooting incident that killed 50 mosque-goers in Christchurch. Ardern who visited those affected by the shooting has made it clear that she seeks answers with regards to how the shooting was live-streamed on Facebook.

A horrific video shot by the gunmen who carried out the mosque massacre was livestreamed on Facebook before being removed by the company.

But the stream, lasting 17 minutes, was shared repeatedly on YouTube and Twitter, and internet platforms were scrambling to remove videos being reposted of the gruesome scenes.

"We did as much as we could to remove, or seek to have removed, some of the footage that was being circulated in the aftermath of this terrorist attack," Ardern said.

"But ultimately it has been up to those platforms to facilitate their removal." "I do think that there are further questions to be answered." Mia Garlick of Facebook New Zealand vowed to "work around the clock to remove violating content".

"In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack globally, of which over 1.2 million were blocked at upload," the company said.

Ardern was joined by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in expressing doubts that current rules go far enough.

Morrison said that social media companies had "co-operated" since the attack.

"So I think there are some very real discussions that have to be had about how these facilities and capabilities as they exist on social media, can continue to be offered," he said.

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive officer, has not yet commented on the attack or the video posted by one of the gunmen.