Snapchat is not typically a place you'd go to for information about a breaking news story. But the messaging app ran a story on the San Bernardino mass shooting Wednesday, providing its 100+ million users with updates and images from people at the scene.
Snapchat typically runs a Los Angeles local story every day (it also runs one in New York City and London), allowing users to contribute their photos and videos. On Wednesday the network made the San Bernardino story available to everyone in the U.S., a first for Snapchat.
Besides photos and videos from the scene, the story, which went up hours after the shooting started, brought updates on the developments and statements from the authorities.
“We published this story because we felt that the content, which comes from the LA local Story, was newsworthy and held national significance,” Mary Ritti, Snapchat's vice president of communications, told International Business Times.
Many users voiced their opinion on the coverage on social networks. Some were impressed with the way Snapchat handled the story, with one calling it "democratization of news coverage."
People are tweeting about @Snapchat's special #sanbernardino news roundup for good reason. Very compelling. pic.twitter.com/K8oPM7xoB3— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) December 3, 2015
Snapchat made a story for the shooting in San Bernardino. It's crazy how social media can put you right on the scene of what's going on— Alex Backus (@alexbackus_) December 3, 2015
The Snapchat coverage of the San Bernardino shooting is revolutionary. Complete democratization of news coverage. Huge.— A. Craver-Caballero (@AdrianCraver) December 3, 2015
I’m very impressed with @Snapchat’s coverage of the shooting in the Los Angeles story.— Tom Handy (@tvhandy) December 3, 2015
Others, however, thought it was odd and some called it inappropriate or even disrespectful.
Snapchat having a story of the San Bernardino shooting today just doesn't sit right with me— julia hager (@__julesss__) December 3, 2015
Anyone else think it's somewhat odd that there's a San Bernardino Shooting snap chat story— Courtney (@kertyweiss) December 3, 2015
why is there a live story on snapchat for the San Bernardino shooting. that just seems wrong or disrespectful or something??— Madison Smith (@maddie615) December 3, 2015
Originally a photo and video sharing messaging app, Snapchat has strongly positioned itself as a news platform this year. In January, Snapchat launched Discover, enabling users to get curated text and video content from a number of media outlets (disclosure: Mashable is one of the partners). And after introducing Live Stories in LA and NYC in 2014, the company launched its Story Explorer this November, enabling users to see more perspectives for each of the current Live Stories.
14 people were killed and 17 more were injured during the shooting at the state-run facility for the developmentally disabled in San Bernardino, California.
The suspects, both of whom were killed in a shootout with the police, have been identified as Syed Rizwan Farook, and Tashfeen Malik, but their motives remain unclear.