Disturbing footage depicting the fatal shooting of influencer and right-wing advocate Charlie Kirk has surfaced on various social media platforms. In light of this incident, we have reached out to several platforms for their responses regarding the handling of such content. So far, we have received statements from Bluesky, Meta, Reddit, and YouTube.
Bluesky:
- “Glorifying violence or harm violates Bluesky’s Community Guidelines,” stated a message from Bluesky’s Safety account. “We actively monitor reports and will take necessary action on content that celebrates harm against anyone. Violence has no place in healthy discourse, and we are dedicated to facilitating constructive conversations.”
Meta:
- Meta spokesperson Francis Brennan referred to the company’s guidelines on violent and graphic content, which would apply in this scenario. “We remove the most graphic content and label other sensitive material to inform users before viewing. Additionally, we impose restrictions on young users regarding content that may not be appropriate for their age, ensuring a suitable experience while allowing expression,” Brennan explained.
Reddit:
- Spokesperson Gina Antonini stated, “Our sitewide rules prohibit the encouragement or glorification of violence.” She added that the platform is actively monitoring for rule violations, employing methods including hashing to prevent re-uploads. Antonini also noted communication with moderators to ensure compliance with the Reddit Rules and the Moderator Code of Conduct.
YouTube:
- “Our thoughts are with Charlie Kirk’s family following this tragic event,” stated YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon. “We are closely monitoring our platform and prioritizing news content in search results to keep users informed.”
- Malon also indicated YouTube’s intention to remove some graphic material related to Kirk’s incident, particularly content lacking sufficient context. Additional restrictions will apply to certain footage that depicts the attack, making it inaccessible to users under 18 and those not logged into their accounts.
- In accordance with their guidelines, YouTube prohibits content that “revels in or mocks the death or serious injury of an identifiable individual.”
Platforms including Discord, TikTok, and X have not provided immediate responses to inquiries from Technology News.
Update, September 10th: Added statement from a Reddit spokesperson.
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