It also provides a way for people to broadcast internationally through the internet, which appeals to many people.

　　“Now just because you happen to post a video on Facebook, doesn’t mean the whole world is going to watch it. But you’ve got the potential for the whole world watching it.”

　　Diamond Reynolds, the girlfriend of Philando Castile, explained to a Facebook Live audience Thursday why she streamed the police shooting and final moments of Philando’s life.

　　“I wanted to put it on Facebook and go viral so that the people could see. I want the people to determine who was right and who was wrong,” she said

　　Robert Thompson said that with so many camera-capable phones out there, “every now and again, you are going to capture just as life goes on really horrible things happening.”

　　The positive side of that, he says, is capturing crimes that would go unnoticed before. “With all of this recording, I think an awful lot of things are happening that people are having to account for, in a way that would not have been the case before.”

　　But Thompson said other broadcasts by criminals or terrorists will be planned specifically for the camera.

　　“A lot of these bad things are done for the sake of the recording they are going to get. You could make the argument, pretty soundly, that September 11 was planned as a television production.”

　　Despite the ethical issues with live streaming technology, Thompson said it is nearly impossible to stop. “Technology is relatively neutral. How do you only take the good from this and not the bad?”

　　Darrell West agrees that there are very few ways for social media companies or the government to regulate live streams. “The genie is out of the bottle and there’s no way to put it back in. We can’t go back.”

　　He added: “It used to be the first impulse was to call 911, now the first impulse is, grab your camera and take pictures and record videos.”

　　I’m Bryan Lynn.

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　　Words in This Story

　　ethical adj. relating to questions of right and wrong behavior

　　slump v. to fall to the side while sitting or leaning

　　chaotic adv. state of complete confusion and disorder

　　benign adj. not causing harm or damage

　　predict v. to say something that will happen in the future

　　brutality n. cruel, harsh or violent treatment

　　encounter n. an unexpected or casual meeting with someone

　　genie n. a magic spirit that looks like a person

　　impulse n. a sudden strong urge to act