Lawmakers pressure social media companies to remove Charlie Kirk assassination footage as platforms struggle with content moderation of graphic violence.
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, „He has a family, young children, and no one should be forced to relive this tragedy online.“ Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) echoed the plea, saying, „I agree completely! I NEVER want to see that again!! I hate that I saw it at all.“
That outrage quickly shifted the spotlight to the platforms themselves, with TikTok, Meta and YouTube outlining their responses while X remained largely silent.TikTok responds with removals and safeguards
TikTok confirmed it is removing videos of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and outlined the steps it is taking to prevent harmful clips from spreading further. The company also issued a statement to CyberGuy expressing condolences to Kirk’s family. A TikTok spokesperson said, „We are saddened by the assassination of Charlie Kirk and send our deepest condolences to his wife Erika, their two young children and their family and friends. These horrific, violent acts have no place in our society. We remain committed to proactively enforcing our Community Guidelines and have implemented additional safeguards to prevent people from unexpectedly viewing footage that violates our rules.“
Beyond the statement, TikTok pointed to its broader Community Guidelines. The platform explained that all content is first reviewed by automated moderation tools before it appears in feeds. This system helps catch large volumes of content that may violate rules or require age restrictions.
TikTok prohibits gory, gruesome or extremely violent clips. The company also restricts content showing human or animal blood, extreme fighting or graphic footage. When footage may be in the public interest, TikTok applies safeguards like age restrictions, warning screens, or „opt-in“ labels. These measures are designed to reduce exposure, especially for younger users.
TikTok said that teen accounts cannot access graphic or potentially distressing content, even when the videos are tied to major news events. Clips flagged under this rule are blocked from the „For You“ feed and cannot be recommended to underage users.
TikTok also emphasized that it removes posts that harass victims or degrade people involved in tragedies.
