Christchurch charity concert producer Nigel Godfrey has called out Facebook after it disable his messaging services. Photo / 123RF
Christchurch charity concert producer Nigel Godfrey has called out Facebook after it disable his messaging services. Photo / 123RF
The organiser of a Christchurch charity concert has called out Facebook for hypocrisy after his messaging was automatically disabled when he contacted hundreds of people to donate to victims of the attacks.
Nigel Godfrey said it was "deeply ironic", given the mosque shootings were livestreamed on the social media giant's platform and how it took for videos of it to be taken down.
Godfrey, who is producing Auckland charity show "This is Who We Are" for those affected by the attacks, said his Facebook messaging was automatically disabled on Wednesday evening after he sent out hundreds of messages to promote the event.
"It is somewhat of an irony that the company that screened the horrible and horrific massacre, now blocks the producer of a benefit event for the victims, from communicating with people who want to give to the victims.
"It beggars the question, if they can do that automatically why can't they do it for something that actually is offending people?
"Apparently [my messaging] went against their community standards, because they thought it was spamming, but streaming mass murder didn't?"
Since the attacks Facebook had announced a ban on white nationalist and white separatist posts, but pressure was still being put on it for its live-streaming service.
Nigel Godfrey has brought together New Zealand's entertainment industry for Auckland charity show "This is Who We Are" for Christchurch victims. Photo / File
Godfrey said the problem was people had become reliant on social media for communication, but it lacked any form of governance.
"We've allowed a corporate entity to become a main communication tool, with no oversight."
The charity show would take place on Sunday, April 7 at the SkyCity Theatre and featured a vast array of New Zealand and international singers, entertainers, comedians and television personalities.
"It will be a different kind of show with a lot of variety and some fantastic performers."
Godfrey said he came up with the idea on the Saturday after the attacks.
"I live close to the mosque in Mt Roskill, I have many Muslim neighbours, I wanted to express my feelings and compassion and thought as an entertainment professional we could do something special."
So he got on the phone to contacts in the industry, organised a venue, equipment and entertainers, and a week and a half later it was a happening thing.
"This type of show might normally take six months, but we are putting it together in two weeks," Godfrey said.
"We want to show how the entertainment industry in New Zealand can come together in response to this tragedy."
About 100 people had already donated their time and effort, meaning every single dollar from the show could be donated to the Victim Support Givealittle page for those directly affected by the Christchurch attacks.
