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Suicide on Periscope Prompts France to Open Inquiry Suicide on Periscope Prompts France to Open Inquiry
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — French officials have opened an investigation after a distraught young woman recorded herself on Periscope, the live video-streaming app, describing her despair and then killing herself by jumping in front of a commuter train in suburban Paris.PARIS — French officials have opened an investigation after a distraught young woman recorded herself on Periscope, the live video-streaming app, describing her despair and then killing herself by jumping in front of a commuter train in suburban Paris.
The woman leapt in front of a train around 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday at the Égly station, about 25 miles south of Paris, on the C line of the regional train system, known as the R.E.R. The woman threw herself under a train at 4:29 p.m. on Tuesday at the Égly station, about 25 miles south of Paris, on the C line of the regional train system, known as the R.E.R., according to Eric Lallement, the local prosecutor.
Several news outlets reported on Wednesday that the authorities in Evry, the jurisdiction that includes the station, had opened an investigation and that the woman was 19. Her name was not released. “An investigation into the causes of the death has been opened and entrusted to the Palaiseau investigative unit,” Mr. Lallement said in a statement, referring to a jurisdiction under his supervision.
Officials at Periscope, which is owned by Twitter, could not immediately be reached for comment. However, excerpts from the video were widely circulated on YouTube, with the suicide blacked out. The woman, whose name was not released, was born in 1997. “This person allegedly sent an SMS to one of her close relations, several minutes before her death, to announce her intentions,” Mr. Lallement said in a statement. “Furthermore, she allegedly made statements to Internet users, via the Periscope application, to explain her act.”
In those excerpts, the woman, appearing drawn and sober, said, “The video I am doing right now is not made to create the buzz but rather to make people react, to open the minds, and that’s it.” The woman identified herself as an employee at a retirement home and as a resident of Arpajon, a town not far from Égly. He added that investigators were examining the woman’s mobile phone and the information she had broadcast on Periscope.
The video is no longer available on Periscope, which is owned by Twitter, but excerpts that appeared to be from it were widely circulated on YouTube, with the suicide blacked out.
In those excerpts, a woman, appearing drawn and sober as she sits in a furnished room, says, “The video I am doing right now is not made to create the buzz but rather to make people react, to open the minds, and that’s it.” The woman identified herself as an employee at a retirement home and as a resident of Arpajon, a town not far from Égly. French officials did not immediately confirm that the woman in the video, who is seen sitting on a couch but not at the train station, was the woman who committed suicide.
People watching the video chimed in with remarks — including “We’re waiting,” “Always a pleasure to see you,” “Give us a hint” and “I think it’s fun” — that generally did not appear to take the woman’s distress seriously.People watching the video chimed in with remarks — including “We’re waiting,” “Always a pleasure to see you,” “Give us a hint” and “I think it’s fun” — that generally did not appear to take the woman’s distress seriously.
At one point in the excerpts, the screen goes dark and there is no noise. About five minutes later, the voice of someone who is evidently an emergency worker can be heard, saying, “I am under the train with the victim; I need to move the victim.” The train is visible in the seconds before the video cuts out.At one point in the excerpts, the screen goes dark and there is no noise. About five minutes later, the voice of someone who is evidently an emergency worker can be heard, saying, “I am under the train with the victim; I need to move the victim.” The train is visible in the seconds before the video cuts out.
The death appeared to be the latest of several recent episodes in which disturbing and violent acts have been transmitted via live-streaming technologies.The death appeared to be the latest of several recent episodes in which disturbing and violent acts have been transmitted via live-streaming technologies.
Just last month, two teenagers assaulted a drunken 24-year-old man in a nightclub district of Bordeaux, France. One of the two assailants recorded the attack on Periscope and filmed himself bragging and laughing about it. Both teenagers were arrested.Just last month, two teenagers assaulted a drunken 24-year-old man in a nightclub district of Bordeaux, France. One of the two assailants recorded the attack on Periscope and filmed himself bragging and laughing about it. Both teenagers were arrested.
Also last month, the authorities in Ohio said an 18-year-old woman witnessed a 17-year-old friend from her high school get raped and not only failed to help, but pointed her mobile phone at the friend and streamed a video of the assault on Periscope. The teenager, Marina Lonina, was charged with kidnapping, rape, sexual battery and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor — the same charges leveled at Raymond Gates, 29, the man accused in the attack.Also last month, the authorities in Ohio said an 18-year-old woman witnessed a 17-year-old friend from her high school get raped and not only failed to help, but pointed her mobile phone at the friend and streamed a video of the assault on Periscope. The teenager, Marina Lonina, was charged with kidnapping, rape, sexual battery and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor — the same charges leveled at Raymond Gates, 29, the man accused in the attack.
“I have never seen a case such as this where you would actually live-stream a sexual assault,” Ron O’Brien, the prosecutor in Franklin County, Ohio, told journalists.“I have never seen a case such as this where you would actually live-stream a sexual assault,” Ron O’Brien, the prosecutor in Franklin County, Ohio, told journalists.
Thomas Husson, a Paris-based analyst at the technology research company Forrester Research, said it was inevitable that live-streaming tools were being used to record tragic and even brutal events.Thomas Husson, a Paris-based analyst at the technology research company Forrester Research, said it was inevitable that live-streaming tools were being used to record tragic and even brutal events.
“It’s both the good and bad part of these technologies: They allow people to enter other people’s private lives,” he said in a phone interview.“It’s both the good and bad part of these technologies: They allow people to enter other people’s private lives,” he said in a phone interview.
“It would be very difficult to prevent such events from happening,” he said of the suicide. “We now live in a dictatorship of real-time.”“It would be very difficult to prevent such events from happening,” he said of the suicide. “We now live in a dictatorship of real-time.”
Mr. Husson added: “These technologies enable real-time streaming, which can have a lot of unintended consequences. Internet giants are starting to monitor how people use their technologies in real-time, but it’s tricky. It’s almost impossible to control how people use social media.”Mr. Husson added: “These technologies enable real-time streaming, which can have a lot of unintended consequences. Internet giants are starting to monitor how people use their technologies in real-time, but it’s tricky. It’s almost impossible to control how people use social media.”
Regulators have been trying to get a hold on new social media tools, like Periscope and Snapchat, mostly out of concern about their use by extremist organizations like the Islamic State.Regulators have been trying to get a hold on new social media tools, like Periscope and Snapchat, mostly out of concern about their use by extremist organizations like the Islamic State.
“These companies will inevitably have to comply with new rules,” Mr. Husson said. “But that’s a political question. At the end of the day, it’s about potential new regulation over how people can use these technologies.”“These companies will inevitably have to comply with new rules,” Mr. Husson said. “But that’s a political question. At the end of the day, it’s about potential new regulation over how people can use these technologies.”
Twitter encourages people to submit a form if they believe that a user is at risk of self-harm. Periscope’s community guidelines state: “To maintain a healthy platform, explicit graphic content is not allowed. Explicit graphic content includes, but is not limited to, depictions of child abuse, animal abuse or bodily harm. Periscope is not for content that is intended to incite violence, or includes a direct and specific threat of violence to others.”