Attack in Vienna: 20,000 image and video uploads on the BMI website – Wien Aktuell

“The danger is that you are doing the terrorists a favor, that you are hastily sharing the wrong things or material that is stressful to people,” Brodnig said Tuesday in an interview with the APA.

The police also urged them not to post those videos or photos. It was emphasized that the dissemination of such content on social media puts civilians and emergency services at risk. Instead, the executive called on the population to upload relevant material on the https://upload.bmi.gv.at/ platform provided by the Interior Ministry. There have been more than 20,000 uploads so far, mostly video and image files, an APA spokesperson said. 35 researchers were working on the projection, according to Interior Minister Karl Nehammer 8ÖVP) about 50 percent of the data had already been viewed in the afternoon.

After the attack with at least four dead in the center of Vienna on Monday night, the increased alert level for the federal capital remains. This will apply until all video material has been evaluated, Interior Ministry spokesman Harald Sörös said. Until then, “we must assume that there are several perpetrators,” the spokesperson stressed. A 35-person research team is busy with the evaluation.

A terabyte of data was sent to authorities via a loading platform: around 20,000 videos in total. More than half were spotted Tuesday afternoon. “When everything has been evaluated, we will almost certainly have enough information on whether it was a single perpetrator or multiple perpetrators,” Sörös said. “Then we can lower the warning level and switch to normal operation by half.”

Dissemination of such recordings on social media or in the media is problematic for several reasons, Brodnig emphasized. “Terrorists want to become famous, they want to spread fear and terror,” he said. This objective is supported by the publication of the videos. In addition, incorrect information is sometimes provided, for example when an incorrect place or time is given for a video. The correct videos can also be misinterpreted. “At worst, innocent or heroic actors become what they are not,” Brodnig warned. Careless sharing of videos can also help increase panic.

The same applies to classical media – “oe24” was particularly negative here. “Actually, journalism should be a corrective,” Brodnig said. Brodnig also criticized Facebook. The discussion area of ​​the “Crisis Response Tool” that Facebook introduces in crisis situations is “like a rumor mill.” People misuse it to spread false information. “I would advise Facebook to shut down the tool or redesign it,” he said. In any case, the moderation of the forum should be increased.

There is also the risk that opportunists will take advantage of exceptional situations and spread speculation or misinformation to attract attention. “Emotionality is contagious, that’s why this content spreads so much.” Brodnig appealed, when in doubt, to post a little less than too much. Videos related to the attack should be shared on the platform provided by the police, not on social media, he said.