Neil Finn has announced his decision to quit social media, making the choice following the horrific terror attack in Christchurch last week.
On Friday, the world was shocked to learn of a mass-shooting at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. With 50 victims killed in the attack, it has become the deadliest mass shooting in modern New Zealand history.
In the wake of the attack, a number of social media services have come under fire for hosting – and providing the ability for users to share – the video of the attack, which was livestreamed on Facebook by the 28-year-old Australian suspect.
While police have urged users not to share or even view the video, many outraged individuals have slammed services such as Facebook and Twitter for not acting sooner and for allowing the footage to remain available.
Now, New Zealand-born musician Neil Finn has announced that he is set to quit social media, citing the ability of these services to spread “hateful ideology” as his reason.
Out of respect for the grieving families of Christchurch and in consideration of their vast public tragedy I will no longer take part in social media . These platforms have enabled the spread of hateful ideology and I will not participate anymore.
— neil mullane finn (@NeilFinn) March 18, 2019
This is simply a personal response and not a call for a boycott or any such thing. Everyone makes their own version of the world happen on their screen. For now , I just want to play music . Thanks to all of you who have been following and supporting my random thoughts.
— neil mullane finn (@NeilFinn) March 18, 2019
“Out of respect for the grieving families of Christchurch and in consideration of their vast public tragedy I will no longer take part in social media,” Neil Finn wrote on Twitter earlier today.
“These platforms have enabled the spread of hateful ideology and I will not participate anymore.”
Clarifying his decision, Finn explained that this was not his way of calling for a boycott, but rather a personal decision borne of recent events.
“Everyone makes their own version of the world happen on their screen,” he explained. “For now, I just want to play music.”
In related news, thrash-metal icons Slayer were forced to cancel their final-ever New Zealand show last night. The performance, which was set to take place last night as the group’s first visit to the south island, was scheduled to have taken place barely a kilometre from Friday’s attack.
“Whilst we want music to be a positive impact on any city, the recent events are incomprehensible, and right now we stand together with Christchurch, and send our deepest sympathies to those affected,” explained tour promoter Storm The Gates.
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