When Facebook launched live video in December, there were many of my Facebook friends who jumped into this new way of sharing “the moment” because it is so cool and easy. Everyone loves to view videos as well as make them.
But live video streaming moved into a dark place in Chicago, the city leading the list of homicides for 2016. If you don’t live in a bottle, you have heard by now about the sickening situation that was orchestrated by 4 young people who abducted, tied up and tortured a special needs boy.
Someone in that room of horrors called “action” and the Facebook world got to see how video live really works. How sweet, and how very proud the parents of these 4 young adults must have felt to see their little offsprings do what they do best.
When Commander Kevin Duffin of the Chicago Police Department was asked about the racial comments on the video, Duffin said the four people in custody were “young adults and they make stupid decisions,” and a determination would have to be made about whether or not the racial remarks were “sincere or just stupid ranting and raving.”
First of all, a determination should be made about Duffin. This guy must be a major moron to come up with these comments. He’s not fit to flip burgers at McDonald’s. 
Secondly, the brilliant movie makers should sit in prison for a very long time as punishment for what they did to another human being.
I also give Facebook, not a slap on the wrist, but a big 2×4 to the side of their head for not stopping the video live immediately. It is a known fact that Facebook monitors postings for criminal activity and reports them to the authorities. They will also delete postings they deem inappropriate.
In the case of live videos who at Facebook didn’t push the “big brother is watching” button? To let this video stream for 30 minutes while people watched this innocent young child be abused is not acceptable. Facebook should get their checkbook out and hand the victim’s family the big one for some serious psychological help for the victim, and for pain and suffering for the victim and family.
It only takes a few jerks to turn a fun thing like video live into a tragedy for pleasure.
Yes, we will all continue to make videos that are fun because, for the most part, people are nice, but it only takes a few to ruin a village.
That story broke my heart Nancy. It’s awful when a creative communication idea is used to promote a hate crime against someone who is unable to protect himself. The good news is that these people were also stupid enough to film and provide live evidence of their crime, making it that much easier to lock them up so they can’t do it again.