A disturbing video showing the assassination of conservative commentator, Charlie Kirk, is circulating widely online, and many people say it appeared in their feeds without them ever choosing to watch it. The clip has reignited questions about how social media platforms handle violent content and the impact it can have on children and families.
Several people told 10 News they were shocked by what they saw.
“I thought it was a joke,” said social media user, Alex Coleman. “I was speechless. I was traumatized really from watching something like that.”
“I didn’t think it was real, until I started seeing a whole bunch of other people posting it,” Ashley Logan said.
“It made me shaky, and it did make me emotional,” Daniele Asimakopoulos said.
For some people, the graphic video simply appeared in their feeds. It spread quickly across platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok. Users said the issue is not only that the video exists, but that there aren’t enough guardrails to prevent it from being viewed by people who don’t want to see it.
“It’s really not normal for us to visualize and see those things happen,” Asimakopoulos said. “I don’t want to see those things on social media, and I don’t want my kids to see those things. That’s why we don’t allow social media to be used in our home.”
“When someone tries to post a video like that, it should automatically be deleted or blocked,” Coleman said.
Jaime Bamford, Vice Chair of the Psychiatry Department at Carilion Clinic, warns repeated exposure to violent content online can be harmful, especially for kids and teens.
“Trauma can affect people directly, but it can actually happen indirectly by witnessing something and in the days we live in, there’s so much exposure that inadvertently happens when people are simply scrolling,” Bamford said. “From continued exposure to violence and to traumatic experiences, you can really become desensitized. Our children can see that as normative behavior and that becomes quite problematic.”
While some platforms have begun removing or censoring violent clips as they are flagged, questions remain regarding whether social media companies are doing enough and who should be held accountable when graphic content does spreads this widely.
In the meantime, Bamford shared a few tips on how parents can protect their children from harmful content.
“Know what your kids are watching and set a limit of one to two hours per day of screen time,” Bamford said. “Make sure you are friends with your child on social media, whatever platform they’re using, and ensure those phones are put up at bedtime. Also, help them understand who they can talk to and what resources they have if they need it.”
“This shows again the importance of teaching my kids to deal well with social media,” said Keith Anderson, a social media user and parent. “One thing I want to teach my kids is that there are more than one perspective, and social media doesn’t always show you that. So, I want him to be able to know that and deal with that reality.”
The debate over free speech, platform responsibility, and mental health is complex. But as violent content spreads faster and wider than ever, pressure is mounting for social media companies to do more to protect users, especially vulnerable youth.