New Zealand Mobile Carriers Block 8chan, 4chan, and LiveLeak
Following the Friday mass shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, multiple internet service providers (ISP) in the country have blocked access to websites that distribute gruesome content from the incident. The websites that have been blocked include 8chan, 4chan and LiveLeak.
The attacker live-streamed on his Facebook account his actions that got 49 people killed. A link to the video and a lengthy “manifesto” appeared on 8chan forum, allegedly shared by the shooter. Copies of the 17-minute footage spread to other websites, including YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit.
Currently, Spark NZ, Vodafone NZ, and Vocus NZ agreed to work together to identify and block access to these three websites. Those sites promote freedom of speech but the loose boundaries about the type of comments and media accepted can provoke and have an impact on some individuals. This may lead to them embracing more radical values and even acting in their spirit.
At this moment, visitors trying to get to the these forums through Spark NZ, Vodafone NZ and Vocus NZ will see the message “The URL has been blocked for security reasons.”
The block is not permanent, though. As soon as the horrific content from the Christchurch incident originating from the terrorists is removed, access to these websites will be reestablished.