Introduction
The death of Ronald Merle McNutt, a 33-year-old American man who committed suicide on a Facebook livestream, sparked a conversation about suicide prevention and the duty of care social media platforms owe to protect users’ reputations online when it comes to graphic content. This article explores the implications of McNutt’s death, including his background, the suicide, the viral spread of the video, and the implications for social media platforms.
Who was Ronald McNutt?
Ronald Merle McNutt was a resident of New Albany, Mississippi, in the United States. He served in the United States military in Iraq and worked at a Toyota plant. McNutt had a history of mental health problems, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he developed during his time in Iraq in 2007 and 2008. In addition to this, he was dealing with a recent break-up with his girlfriend. Ronald McNutt regularly attended church.
Ronald McNutt Suicide
On August 31, 2020, McNutt began a livestream on Facebook, during which he appeared to be intoxicated and holding a single-shot shotgun. All over stream, McNutt’s phone kept ringing. The last call he received was from his ex-girlfriend, to which he answered, leading to a brief argument between the two. After the exchange, McNutt took hold of the rifle and fatally shot himself. His face was blown apart by the shot, and blood spattered all over the camera.
Ronald McNutt video viral spread
Users on social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram shared the video of McNutt’s suicide. Frequently, it was a little video clip that was meant to appear in the feeds of unaware viewers.The spread of the video raised awareness about both suicide prevention and the duty of care social media platforms owe to protect users’ reputations online when it comes to graphic content.
Implications for Social Media Platforms
The viral spread of the video raised questions about social media platforms’ responsibilities in protecting users from graphic content, particularly in cases of suicide. The incident gained attention for both the callousness with which some online users treated McNutt’s passing and Facebook’s slowness in taking down the video, which had been shared on multiple other platforms and had received a significant number of views before being removed. Video platform TikTok was also slow to respond to the video, which had appeared in many user feeds and constant re-uploads, leading to many users choosing to boycott the platform.
Facebook’s refusal to cut the stream, claiming that the stream was not in any violation of its platform’s guidelines, highlighted the need for social media platforms to develop more robust policies to prevent the spread of graphic and violent content. McNutt’s death served as a stark reminder of the importance of suicide prevention and the responsibility that social media platforms have in protecting users’ reputations online.
How Can Social Media Platforms Improve?
Social media platforms should prioritize developing more robust policies and procedures for identifying and removing graphic content. This can be achieved through investing in AI algorithms and human moderators who can quickly identify and remove inappropriate content. Platforms should also collaborate with mental health professionals and organizations to develop more comprehensive guidelines and resources for users who may be at risk of suicide. Social media platforms must also educate their users on the importance of responsible content creation and consumption.
Conclusion
Ronald McNutt’s tragic suicide on Facebook Live is a stark reminder of the importance of suicide prevention and the responsibility that social media platforms have in protecting users’ reputations online when it comes to graphic content. The spread of the video and Facebook’s slow response highlighted the need for social media platforms to develop more robust policies to prevent the spread of graphic and violent content, particularly in cases of suicide. By investing in AI algorithms, human moderators