Snapchat is no longer just a photo messaging app geared towards teenagers – at least that’s what it’s trying to prove with its latest live story.
On Wednesday, the app jumped into the breaking news business with live coverage of the San Bernardino shooting that left 14 dead and 17 wounded.
READ MORE: Suspects named in California mass shooting that left 14 dead, 17 wounded
Shortly after news of the shooting broke, Snapchat created a “California Shooting” live story filled with photos, videos and live updates from users affected by the shooting – whether they were standing outside as bystanders, or involved in a lockdown.
Some of the “Snaps” even captured the standoff between police and the suspects, complete with live gunfire.
But the story didn’t just feature photos and videos from the scene.
The team at Snapchat wrote a headline and a story lead; they also shared updates and statements from law enforcement. The story was presented the way a news article would be.
“We published this story because we felt that the content, which comes from the L.A. local Story, was newsworthy and held national significance. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families,” Mary Ritti, Snapchat’s vice president of communications, told International Business Times.
Snapchat has been shifting its focus to live events over the past year, but the San Bernardino shooting was the app’s first attempt at covering a breaking news event. Until Wednesday, Snapchat’s live stories had featured events like the U.S. GOP debate and the Pope’s visit to New York.
But is Snapchat the right platform for breaking news? Users seem to have mixed opinions.
Many celebrated the app for putting together a clear picture of the developments in San Bernardino.
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Others tweeted their disapproval of the live story, some calling it “disrespectful.”
“Watching the shooting/news on snapchat just made me sick to my stomach,” tweeted one user.
“Can someone explain why the San Bernardino shooting today is a story on snapchat? Why is this necessary,” tweeted another.
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