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Charlie Kirk Killing Sparks Wild Misinformation Forbes

Bonisiwe Shabane
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charlie kirk killing sparks wild misinformation forbes

The shooting of Charlie Kirk unleashed a wave of conspiracy theories and misinformation, much of it coming from chatbots. On Thursday, the day after Kirk died, for example, the X account of AI chatbot Perplexity was confidently proclaiming that Kirk was still alive. The post has since been removed. But Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok, meanwhile, was under a similar misapprehension. "The video is a meme edit—Charlie Kirk is debating, and effects make it look like he's 'shot' mid-sentence for comedic effect," it claimed. "No actual harm; he's fine and active as ever."

This isn't the first time chatbots have delivered confidently false information. "During the Los Angeles protests and Israel-Hamas war, users similarly turned to chatbots for answers and were served inaccurate information," NewsGuard researchers said. "Despite repeated examples of these tools confidently repeating falsehoods, as documented in NewsGuard’s Monthly AI False Claims Monitor, many continue to treat AI systems as reliable sources in moments of crisis and uncertainty." Fake photos. False claims. Wild conspiracy theories.

The public murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, captured in gruesome footage that spread around the world, has set off an avalanche of misinformation. Bogus assertions have been spread on social media by Americans across the political divide and by foreign adversaries. Prominent members of President Donald Trump’s administration, meanwhile, have made conspiratorial statements that can’t currently be called false – the investigation into the killing continues, and more information might well emerge – but that... Here is a look at some of the inaccurate or unsupported claims. Soon after a Utah man named Tyler Robinson was named as the suspect in the killing, some social media users on the political left began claiming he was a donor to Trump. They cited federal election records showing that a Utah man named Tyler Robinson had contributed to Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign.

On Sept. 10, 2025, Turning Point USA co-founder and conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during a Utah college speaking event. Politicians from all sides of the political spectrum, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and former President Joe Biden, condemned the shooting. Snopes is working on fact-checking claims that have spread online after Kirk's death. We fact-checked his last words, as well as famous quotes, like a comment he made about Jewish money ruining the U.S.

Here are six claims we've fact-checked about Kirk since the shooting: A flood of false and misleading claims filled social media in the two days it took officials to arrest and publicly identify 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect in Wednesday’s assassination of conservative activist... Law enforcement monitors the scene at Utah Valley University after Turning Point USA CEO and co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed , Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Gov.

Spencer Cox speaks at a press conference at Utah Valley University after Charlie Kirk, CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed during a visit at the university in Orem, Utah,... 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP) ▶ Follow live updates on President Donald Trump and his administration WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia moved to amplify online conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk’s killing just hours after it happened, seeding social media with the frightening claim that America is slipping into civil war. Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy.

We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way. The analyses provided suggest that Charlie Kirk's content and legacy have been highly controversial and polarizing, with some sources implying that he spread propaganda [1] [2] [3]. According to [1], his death has sparked a wave of online harassment and firings of individuals who posted critical remarks about him. Additionally, [2] reports that an Office Depot worker refused to print a poster of Kirk for a vigil, stating that they don't print propaganda. On the other hand, some sources highlight the influence and controversy surrounding Kirk's social media accounts, which have gained millions of followers since his murder [4] [3]. Influential figures and far-right activists have been affected by his death, with some celebrating what they see as a campaign of accountability [1].

Overall, the analyses indicate that Charlie Kirk's content and legacy have been divisive and misinformation-prone, with some sources suggesting that he spread falsehoods about topics such as Covid vaccines and voting fraud [3]. 2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints Some key context and alternative viewpoints are missing from the original statement. For instance, [7] mentions Kirk's legacy and the impact of his assassination on the conservative movement, but does not provide evidence of him spreading propaganda. Furthermore, [5] discusses the misinformation that followed Kirk's death, but does not directly address his actions or reputation regarding propaganda.

Alternative viewpoints, such as those from university administrators and professors, are also present in the analyses, with [8] reporting on a professor's controversial posts about Charlie Kirk's assassination. Additionally, the role of AI tools and social media in spreading false information about Charlie Kirk's death is highlighted in [6]. These alternative viewpoints and missing context suggest that the issue is more complex and multifaceted than the original statement implies. 3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement Conservative activist Charlie Kirk died after he was shot on Wednesday afternoon while speaking on a U.S.

university campus in Utah. Kirk, 31, had just launched a college tour during which he was due to debate with students nationwide over the next few weeks. A loyal Trump ally, he was answering a question from an audience member from a pop-up tent in front of thousands of people at Utah Valley University, when shots rang out and he was... U.S. law enforcement authorities have launched a manhunt for the shooter, which was ongoing Friday. President Donald Trump released a video message saying he was "filled with grief and anger at the heinous assassination", calling it a "dark moment for America" and blaming radical left-wing politics for fuelling the...

"Charlie was a patriot who devoted his life to the cause of open debate, and the country that he loved so much, the United States of America," Trump said in the recording. "He fought for liberty, democracy, justice and the American people. He's a model for truth and freedom, and there's never been anyone who was so respected by youth." Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance called the activist "a genuinely good guy" on social media. The killing of conservative leader Charlie Kirk has sparked widespread misinformation and conspiracy theories, fueled in part by AI chatbots and partisan media narratives. Chatbots like Perplexity and Grok disseminated false claims that Kirk was still alive, illustrating ongoing challenges with AI-generated misinformation during crises.

Pro-Kremlin sources also spread unsubstantiated claims about Kirk being on the Myrotvorets blacklist, which was debunked by fact-checkers. Meanwhile, veteran ABC journalist Barrie Cassidy erroneously labeled the suspect a right-wing extremist before apologizing, as evidence from Utah authorities indicated the shooter was influenced by left-wing ideology and had a transgender partner, though... Additionally, false reports surfaced alleging that the MAGA movement blamed a South Park episode for Kirk's assassination, but these were refuted by conservative commentators who emphasized that Kirk himself appreciated the episode’s satire. Overall, the incident reveals the volatile mix of misinformation, political polarization, and media errors surrounding high-profile events involving conservative figures. Get the latest news, exclusive insights, and curated content delivered straight to your inbox. The perfect gift for understanding news from all angles.

Get the latest news, exclusive insights, and curated content delivered straight to your inbox. The perfect gift for understanding news from all angles. Researchers are warning that Russia, China and Iran are exploiting the death of Charlie Kirk to undermine the West. According to NewsGuard, all three countries are pumping out false claims that their adversaries are behind his killing, adding to a sea of misinformation already surrounding the shooting. Russian state media outlets, officials and commentators, for example, are blaming Ukraine, while Iranian state media has claimed Israel was behind the attack. There is no evidence to back up such assertions, as Utah prosecutors say that the suspect, Tyler Robinson, is a U.S.

citizen who acted alone. And pro-China accounts are attempting to sow doubt and amplify U.S. political divisions with claims that Robinson donated to Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign. As evidence, they are posting a screenshot from the U.S. Federal Elections Commission (FEC) website showing a $224.48 donation to the Trump Make America Great Again Committee — a donation made by a different Tyler Robinson. All in all, said NewsGuard, there were more than 6,000 mentions of Charlie Kirk across official media in China, Russia and Iran between Sept.

10 and Sept. 17.

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