Trigger warning: This news article contains descriptions of graphic violence.
Several Filipinos discouraged fellow online users from sharing the footage of the shooting incident of two passengers on social media.
The video, which came from a dash cam video of a Victory Liner bus, a man and a woman sitting in the front row seats shot dead by unidentified passengers.
READ: Gunmen kill live-in partners from Cagayan inside Cubao-bound bus
The video started circulating across Facebook and X on Wednesday evening.
The keyword “Victory Liner” also landed on the trending topics of X as local users expressed their thoughts about the tragic incident.
Some Filipinos, including commuters, expressed how much the video induced their fear and trauma.
“Nakaka-trauma and nakakatakot at the same time especially commuter din ako and halos 12 hours inaabot ng byahe pauwi samin,” an X user said.
“Someone posted the video of the Victory Liner incident, and I watched it kasi walang trigger warning. Grabe! Natakot na ako kasi commuter ako kapag bumabalik ako sa Pangasinan,” a Facebook user also said.
These sentiments prompted other local users to discourage fellow netizens from sharing the video further, thus spreading further trauma online.
“Everyone, be careful clicking on the ‘Victory Liner’ that is currently trending here on X. The video is very disturbing as it shows the shooting of two people. Also, if you share the video, put proper tags, please. Watch at your own risk,” an X user said.
The labels or tags “trigger warnings” are often placed to supposedly prepare or prevent users from seeing disturbing content.
An X user, however, brought up a Harvard study suggesting the tag is ineffective in its purpose of trauma prevention from internet users.
“And this is why you should stop using TRIGGER WARNINGS. It’s not healthy, and it does more harm than good. Do yourselves a favor and research on this!” the user posted.
I am literally dumbfounded with the number of people telling others not to share the video of the Victory Liner incident.
And this is why you should stop using TRIGGER WARNINGS.
It’s not healthy, and it does more harm than good. Do yourselves a favor and research on this! 💔 pic.twitter.com/eA3G96bd8W
— FOURTH (@tawattannn_) November 15, 2023
Debate on trigger warning tags
Merriam-Webster defines the term “trigger warning” as “a statement cautioning that content (as in a text, video, or class) may be disturbing or upsetting.”
Putting up these precautions in online content has been observed and encouraged by news publications and mental health advocates for years.
RELATED: Filipinos urged to put ‘trigger warning’ label or delete viral Paniqui shooting clip
A Harvard study, however, suggested that they might be ineffective and may inflict harm instead.
In a study published this year, three psychologists found evidence to suggest that “content warnings, content notes, and trigger warnings suggest that they are fruitless.”
“Existing research on content warnings, content notes, and trigger warnings suggests that they are fruitless, although they do reliably induce a period of uncomfortable anticipation. Although many questions warrant further investigation, trigger warnings should not be used as a mental-health tool,” the study reads.
Updates on the tragedy
The now-viral dash cam video showed the suspects, who were wearing masks, ordering the bus driver to stop and drop them off after the passengers were shot. The masked men immediately alighted after the bus stopped mid-travel.
Reports said that the Victory Liner bus where the tragic shooting took place was bound to Caranglan in Nueva Ecija.
According to Bombo Radyo Koronadal, the police identified the names of the victims as:
- Gloria Mendoza Quillano, 60 years old from Sta. Lucia, Cauayan City, Isabela
- Arman Bautista, 55 years old from Koronadal City, South Cotabato
The police have yet to identify the suspects and the motive behind the killing.