A hot potato: Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has slammed social media for what he claims is its part in every assassination and assassination attempt over the last six years, including the shooting of Charlie Kirk. The governor said that "Cancer probably isn't a strong enough word" to describe social media sites like Facebook.
"I believe that social media has played a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt we've seen over the last five, six years. There is no question in my mind," Cox said in an interview with NBC News' Meet the Press on Sunday.
"Cancer probably isn't a strong enough word. What we have done to our kids. It has taken us a decade to understand how evil these algorithms really are."
Cox continued his tirade by accusing social media companies, which he said are some of the most powerful and wealthy organizations in history, of figuring out how to "hack our brains" and "get us addicted to outrage."
He compared the social media experience to the dopamine rush that comes when taking fentanyl, adding that young Americans were especially vulnerable to its impacts and the way it stirs divisions.
"I'm seeing it in real time in the tragic death of Charlie Kirk. I'm seeing it in every corner of our society. The conflict entrepreneurs are taking advantage of us, and we are losing our agency," Cox said.
Other politicians have criticized social media and its influence on society following Kirk's assassination. Senator James Lankford said that algorithms are designed to promote the loudest, angriest, and often craziest posts so everyone sees them.
Utah senator John Curtis said social media "occupies almost 100% of the brains of not only the younger generation but every generation." He also highlighted the problem of the content being distributed on these sites and the lack of responsibility being taken for it.
Within minutes of Kirk being shot and killed, graphic videos of the incident appeared across several platforms. When they were first posted, many lacked pre-roll warning screens or age restrictions.
While TikTok and YouTube say they have been removing videos of the assassination and taking steps to prevent it from spreading further, Facebook, Instagram and Threads owner Meta is only removing content that "glorifies or supports this tragic incident or the perpetrator." It is also restricting viewing to over 18s and including a "Sensitive Content" warning on the videos. The clips are permitted under a public interest exception.
The videos are also popping up on X, with some users complaining that they are appearing on algorithmic feeds even when people never searched for it.
Cox said videos of Kirk's shooting and those of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska's stabbing in North Carolina are "not good" for humans. Many of these clips have amassed tens of millions of views.
Social media has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years for the content being hosted and its potential exposure to children. The UK requires digital age checks for the likes of Reddit, while many states and countries such as Australia are introducing age-linked bans and their own age verification systems. How effective these restrictions are, and what impact they may have on society, remains to be seen.
Image credit: Gage Skidmore