Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/21/online_suicide/
US teen tops himself live online
Sad end for Florida teen
Posted in Media, 21st November 2008 15:47 GMT
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A US teenager has used a video sharing website to broadcast his suicide live across the internet.
Justin.TV has already removed a copy of Biggs' suicide video
It’s thought that up to 1500 people watched 19-year-old Abraham K Biggs, of Broward County, Florida, take an overdose on website Justin.tv, earlier this week.
Numerous online sources have reported that his broadcast – the copy of which has since been removed from the web – showed Biggs swallow a mixture of pills before becoming unconscious.
Anxious viewers called local police after Biggs’ body lay lifeless on a bed for several hours. The broadcast also showed police and paramedics bursting into the troubled teen’s room.
His death has since been confirmed by Broward County medical examiners, but a cause of death hasn’t been made public.
Biggs, who was known by the pseudonym “CandyJunkie” on another website, is also thought to have used the internet as a way of building up to his death by posting a suicide note online.
Michael Seibel, CEO of Justin.tv, claimed [1] in an email to The Times newspaper that his website has policies in place to “discourage the distribution of distressing content”.
Perhaps he meant after the footage has been broadcast?