Workers in New Zealand are SACKED for viewing the Christchurch gunman’s video and sharing it with colleagues in their offices
- At least one person fired for viewing the video while other workers were around
- Cyber Research says many companies had employees who searched for video
- New Zealand Chief Censor has classified it as ‘objectionable’ on Monday
- Sharing it is an offence with penalties of up to $10,000 and 14 years jail
Workers in New Zealand have been sacked for watching the Christchurch gunman’s video and sharing it with colleagues in their offices.
Cyber Research, a firm which monitors computer usage for companies, has confirmed that at least one person has been fired for viewing the video while other workers were around, and others have been fired for sharing it with colleagues.
Founder of the firm Steve Byrne said that many of the companies they are hired by had three to five employees who had searched for the video while at work.
Zaid Mustafa (in wheelchair) attends the funeral of his slain father Khalid Mustafa and brother Hamza Mustafa at the Memorial Park cemetery in Christchurch on March 20, 2019
Mourners arrive for the funeral of a father and son during the first funerals for victims of the mosque shootings at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Christchurch, New Zealand
Employment lawyer Jennifer Mills has told The NZ Herald that she thinks sackings for watching the video may be challenged, however, sharing the video may be a different matter.
‘I’m aware of employees trying to get access to this content out of concern. People are grappling and trying to come to terms with the shootings, which has led some seeking to see what happened,’ she said.
The high profile Auckland lawyer says that judgements can be made morally but legally a company would need to have a detailed internet policy that states looking at inappropriate content is grounds for dismissal.
‘I’m not sure if an employer is challenged, that they’ll get that across the line,’ she says.
Employment lawyer Jennifer Mills (left) said that she thinks sackings for watching the video may be challenged, however, sharing the video has been made an offence by the Chief Censor David Shanks (right)
Ms Mills says that it is a ‘grey area’ and the closest precedent would be employees seeking out footage of the September 11 attacks which included scenes of people jumping from the Twin Towers, however, she notes the Christchurch footage is more graphic.
Chief Censor for New Zealand David Shanks on Monday rated the video objectionable.
This makes it an offence to share the material and means law enforcement agencies can act retroactively to prosecute any individual who previously shared it.
The penalties under the Films, Videos & Publications Classification Act 1993 include fines of up to $10,000 and jail terms of up to 14 years.
NZ’s Privacy Commissioner has previously demanded Facebook release the names of those who shared the video, however, the company has so far only released the number of views.
A mourner is attended to after the funerals of a father and son during the first funerals for victims of the mosque shootings at the Memorial Park Cemetery in Christchurch, New Zealand, 20 March 2019