The Facebook killing of Robert Godwin Sr.

Cleveland's Facebook killing

(Cleveland) - We are approaching the first anniversary of the Facebook killing, and social media expert B.J. Mendelson says nothing has been done to prevent that kind of gruesome event from happening again. 

Mendelson tells Newsradio WTAM 1100, the only way to prevent another Facebook killing is by hiring moderators to police the platform. However, he says social media sites don't want the expense of hiring additional personnel. 

Mendelson feels social media companies should also financially compensate families when their loved ones are victimized online publicly in such a traumatic way. 

On April 16, 2017, 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr. was shot and killed while walking on a sidewalk in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood. 

The suspect, identified as 37-year-old Steve Stephens, posted a cellphone video of the shooting on his Facebook account, leading many media outlets, both during the manhunt and afterward, to dub Stephens the "Facebook killer".

The killing received global attention because it was shown on social media, A warrant was issued for Stephens for aggravated murder. 

Two days later, he committed suicide by gunshot when cornered by police in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Mendelson is author of the new book, "Privacy: And How We Get It Back". 

His previous work is "Social Media is BS" and to receive a free copy, text him at 646-331-8341 with the word "seedrock". 

(Photos by Ken Robinson/WTAM & Getty Images. 

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