Facebook Live video broadcasts UK man’s suicide

Distressed friends and followers of a UK gym owner contacted the social media platform after seeing a concerning post on his profile.

Facebook has had problems with livestreams in the past.

Facebook sent a British gym owner “support documents” after he announced he planned to take his own life, which he then livestreamed on its platform.

Jonathan Bailey, 50, reportedly known as Baz or Bazza, posted on Facebook about his intention, causing some of his friends and followers on the site to contact the social media platform.

According to reports in the UK media including in the Mirror and The Sun, Mr Bailey then broadcast his suicide as a Facebook Live stream continued.

Paramedics were called to an address at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, after reports of a “medical emergency” where they pronounced Mr Bailey dead.

Jonathan Bailey owned a gym and was involved in anti-drug advocacy. Picture: Stoke Sentinel/BPM Media/australscope

A Facebook spokesperson told the Mirror the livestream was deleted “very soon” after being posted, and another post reported by Mr Bailey’s family was also removed.

“We take the responsibility of keeping people safe on our platforms seriously, and we will continue to work closely with experts like (UK charity) The Samaritans to ensure our policies continue to support those in need,” a Facebook statement said.

Mr Bailey was reportedly a local gym owner and had used Facebook to organise a group set up to deter drug dealing and use in his local community.

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Facebook has had to address problems over livestreams.

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Facebook has had problems with livestreams previously. Following the livestreamed massacre of 51 worshippers at mosques in Christchurch last year, the social media giant introduced a “one-strike policy” that blocks a user’s account from livestreaming again if they break community standards or policies on a stream.