New Zealand Attack: Local Reaction And Its Spread On Social Media

At least 49 people have been killed following shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, the largest city on the country's South Island.

New Zealand's Prime Minister has called the tragedy a "terrorist attack." Details continue to emerge, but so far police have charged one man with murder, and two others are in custody.

Muslims across the world are reacting to the tragedy — including those here in Greater Boston.

As we continue to learn more about the attack, we also take a look at the role of technology in publicizing it.

A gunman allegedly live streamed a video of the attack on Facebook, and graphic footage that is believed to be of the shootings could be found on Facebook and other social media sites hours after being posted. This is raising questions about the responsibility of social media sites to monitor content like this.

Imam Shaykh Yasir Fahmy, senior imam at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, which tweets @isbcc.

Mason Marks, research scholar at NYU's Information Law Institute and a visiting fellow at Yale's Information Society Project. He tweets @MasonMarksMD.