Facebook, on Tuesday, announced it has begun placing warning labels on graphic videos posted to its site.
The warnings placed over flagged images and videos warn users that the content might “shock, offend and upset” them if they choose to view it. The warning asks the user ‘are you sure you want to see this?’.
The social networking giant is now preventing potentially distressing videos from being viewed automatically. Users now need to click on the video to confirm that they still want to see it after the advice.
The new alerts also prevents graphic video and images from being shown to users whose profiles say they are younger than 18 years old.
“When people share things on Facebook, we expect that they will share it responsibly, including choosing who will see that content,” a Facebook spokeswoman told the BBC.
“We also ask that people warn their audience about what they are about to see if it includes graphic violence.
“In instances when people report graphic content to us that should include warnings or is not appropriate for people under the age of 18, we may add a warning for adults and prevent young people from viewing the content.”
Video footage of murdered Paris policeman Ahmed Merabet, who was shot in last week’s Charlie Hebdo attacks, is among one of the first clips to be affected by the new warnings.
The move follows pressure from Facebook members, advocacy groups and safety advisors after distressing videos posted by terror groups showing beheadings were found appearing on the site.
