Social Media Sites Lash Out At Disaster Selfies In New York
jonathanturley
We have previously discussed how the social media craze of posting selfies seem to leave any room for . . . well . . . decency. The latest controversy concerns the East Village gas explosion that injured 25 people and collapsed three building — causing extensive physical and property injuries. While emergency personnel were still digging through rubble to try to find survivors, people started to show up to take selfies.
Two people — Nicholas Figueroa, 23, of Harlem, and Moises Locon, 27, of Elmhurst, Queens — were still missing as the selfies were being posted. This image appears one of the last of Figueroa. Figueroa was on a date with Theresa Galarza, 22, at the Sushi Park restaurant on the ground floor and was going to pay the check when he disappeared with the blast.
Others on social media have been criticizing individuals like Christina Freundlich (above), who is reportedly a communications director for the Iowa Democratic Party. She posted a grinning photo of herself at the scene giving the peace sign. I confess that much about modern life (I prefer the 18th Century) confuses me, but what is the point of celebration in front of a tragic site of a disaster?
Two selfie figures responded to critics. Jeanie Slade took this picture with a friend with hashtags “#beingtourists and “#weresocreepy.” She later insisted that it was “satire” and added “My heart goes out to the people of New York, and this satire post was in poor taste. My intention was to point out how many people post selfies in inappropriate times and it backfired.”
