US EditionWidespread availability of graphic Charlie Kirk shooting video shows content moderation challenges
- On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on a university campus in Utah, and graphic footage of the incident rapidly circulated across social media platforms.
- The rapid sharing of these videos was fueled by social media algorithms that prioritize engagement and by platform owners like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk deciding content priorities.
- Major platforms such as Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and X use a mix of AI and human moderation to enforce guidelines, applying warning labels and age restrictions while removing some policy-violating videos.
- Experts warn these videos can cause trauma and desensitization, while new regulations in the UK and EU require platforms to protect users and enforce content controls, with heavy fines for noncompliance.
- Despite platform efforts, graphic content remained widely accessible days after Kirk's death, highlighting ongoing challenges in moderating fast-moving, violent content involving polarizing figures.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Roblox Removes 100+ Custom Game Modes Based on Charlie Kirk Assassination
Popular online gaming platform Roblox, currently battling a grooming scandal, has taken swift action to remove more than 100 custom game modes based on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The custom game modes, known as "experiences" in Roblox, were designed by users to glorify Kirk's assassination to the children who flock to the platform every day. The post Roblox Removes 100+ Custom Game Modes Based on Charlie Kirk Assassination appeared first…
Lawmakers call to remove Charlie Kirk assassination videos
When conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University, videos of the attack spread almost instantly across social media. Within minutes, graphic clips appeared on TikTok, X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.Lawmakers quickly demanded that the platforms take action. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) publicly called on Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok to remove the footage. Luna wrote on X,…
Many netizens have seen horrifying images of the murder of American influencer Charlie Kirk. Often unwittingly. How do the big platforms moderate the spread of violent content? And above all, how do they protect them?
Associated Press News
Widespread availability of graphic Charlie Kirk shooting video shows content moderation challenges
Immediately after Charlie Kirk was shot during a college event in Utah, graphic video of what happened was available almost instantly online, from several angles, in slow-motion and real-time speed.
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