Facebook could be forced to remove videos of violent crime under California proposal

A California state senator proposed requiring social media sites like Facebook to remove videos and photographs of crimes posted by perpatrators when a request is made by victims. — Dreamstime/TNS

SACRAMENTO, California: Alarmed by a trend of people livestreaming violent crimes, a California state senator proposed on Jan 28 to require social media websites, including Facebook and YouTube, to remove photographs and videos of crimes posted by alleged perpetrators when a request is made by victims.

State Senator Richard Pan believes the bill would be the first of its kind in the United States. Last August, Pan was allegedly shoved by a man who opposed his legislation to toughen vaccine requirements for schoolchildren, Senate Bill 276, which was later signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. The alleged perpetrator was cited on suspicion of assault by the Sacramento Police Department after he livestreamed the confrontation on his Facebook page, where it remains though Pan has asked the company to remove the video.