Social media responds to the ISIS beheading video

The image of photo journalist James Foley on his knees moments before he would be killed by an Isis militant has been seen around the world.

As soon as the video spread through social media, sites were attempting to have it taken down and some say changing social media as we know it.

The extremely graphic and horrifying video of Foley’s death is a harsh reminder of the unfiltered nature of our free information world.

With the open flow of potentially disturbing information, social media sites are taking steps to police themselves like never before.

Youtube has been active in taking all of the Foley videos down and Wednesday Twitter CEO Dick Costolo used his own medium to announce they are actively suspending accounts with the images as they are discovered.

The spread of graphic images in the immediate aftermath of an event is nothing new for Twitter, but it is the first time their front office has been so vocal over the contents removal. It’s a move that seems to be getting approval from the public

It’s also something the public should get used to. Twitter had no comment today but did point CHCH News to their policy page for deceased users but said nothing about shutting down accounts for spreading graphic images.

Professor of Communications at McMaster University Alex Sevigny says Twitter is becoming more privatized and this is one example.

“What I think we’re seeing is the corporatization of the web. Twitter used to be a free-for-all where libertarian values reigned and anything and everything could be expressed, but now Twitter’s looking a lot more like a conventional newsroom.”

Sevigny says they now have shareholders and are a “mass use tool” so in order to keep the masses, they must make editorial decisions that stifles the absolute free flow of information.