NEW YORK: Tony Fernades, chief executive officer (CEO) of AirAsia , quit Facebook in protest over the video posts of New Zealand mosque attacks.
Fernandes, who had 670,000 followers, said in a series of tweets on Sunday morning that Facebook needs to “clean up” after videos of the New Zealand mosque attacks were uploaded onto the platform.
“The amount of hatred that goes on in social media sometimes outweighs the good,” he said in a tweet Sunday. “Facebook could have done more to stop some of this.”
As may as 49 people were killed and dozens injured in shootings at two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch after a gunman opened fire on worshipers.
Closed down my Facebook account with 670 k followers. Just thinking about Twitter now. Weather to close or carry on. The amount of hate that goes on in social media sometimes outweighs the good. But on Twitter I think the battle for me goes on.
— Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes) March 17, 2019
Fernandes said he had been “a victim of so many fake bitcoin and other stories” and decided to close down his account.
Facebook could have done more to stop some of this. I myself have been a victim of so many fake bitcoin and other stories. 17 mins of a live stream of killing and hate!!!! Its need to clean up and not just think of financials.
— Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes) March 17, 2019
Facebook needs to “clean up and not just think of financials,” he said. On Saturday, Facebook said that it removed 1.5 million videos of the attack. “We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people…,” Mia Garlnick, spokesperson for Facebook New Zealand, said on Twitter.
Fernandes said he was also mulling to quit Twitter. “On Twitter, I think the battle for me goes on,” he tweeted.
Fernandes has nearly 1.3 million Twitter followers and has posted more than 20,000 tweets.
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