WASHINGTON (AP) — Just hours after Charlie Kirk’s tragic demise, Russian entities swarmed social media with conspiracy theories, stirring fears of a civil war in America. They weren’t alone; both Chinese and pro-Iranian groups began promoting fake narratives around the incident, with some pushing antisemitic ideas in the process.
These foreign sources long have relied on fake social media profiles, bot-driven campaigns, and disinformation strategies to portray the U.S. as a dangerous place marred by extremism and rampant gun violence. Kirk’s unfortunate death has become an all-too-valuable tool for those hoping to influence public perception and deepen political divides.
Russian nationalist figure Alexander Dugin highlighted concerns over Kirk’s murder via a tweet, identifying it as a harbinger of impending strife, declaring, “Charlie Kirk’s Death and the Coming Civil War.” Various pro-Russian bots scapegoated Democrats, predicting escalating chaos. Russian state media even published articles questioning whether his killer was really a “pro.”
While foreign disinformation forms a minuscule part of the overall online discourse around Kirk’s death, it poses a risk, potentially hindering genuine efforts for political reconciliation or even activating further violent incidents.
Joseph Bodnar, a senior research manager at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, commented, “We’ve witnessed several Russian campaigns seeking to exploit” Kirk’s murder. Rather than introducing fresh claims, they often recycle misinformation originally seen among American online circles. In effect, they’re amplifying the voices of local actors.
Custom-Fit Disinformation Strategies
Every group spreading this false information seems to have their angle. Chinese state-media narratives have spotlighted the violent circumstances surrounding Kirk’s death, effectively branding America as a nation plagued by gun violence and radical political viewpoints.
Russian commentators took a different tack, connecting Kirk’s death to U.S. support for Ukraine, even alleging that Ukrainian actors were behind his murder as a reaction to his criticisms of military aid to their country.
Meanwhile, pro-Iranian factions claimed Israel was behind the assassination of Kirk, suggesting that the accused was set up as a scapegoat. This conspiracy notably resonated within U.S. white supremacist circles, underscoring how damaging misinformation can propagate despite cultural and linguistic divides.
Certainly, misleading claims tend to spread like wildfire following major news events, drawing irretrievable eyes from users throughout the internet. Moreover, the rise of Artificial Intelligence tools capable of inventing realistic video and audio clips, along with AI chatbots that frequently generate false information, makes sifting through what’s true even trickier.
Such was the case immediately following Kirk’s shooting; misinformation concerning both the crime and the alleged perpetrator went viral on multiple platforms.
In recent years, attention-seeking groups have exploited anything they can to promote chaos—from hurricanes to global crises like the Jan. 6 insurrection, the COVID pandemic, and even various assassination attempts against former President Trump.
The specifics may vary, but the thrust of the foreign-based conspiracy theories insinuates that fundamental American institutions—namely government, media, law enforcement, and healthcare—are in decline and as a result, breeding grounds for escalating violence.
The Call for More Oversight on Social Media
No matter where it stemmed from, there’s a strong consensus that social media platforms need to do a lot more in curbing both foreign disinformation and ranges of violent rhetoric, argues Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an organization monitoring online disinformation. According to his research, posts calling for retaliatory violence related to Kirk’s death have garnered 43 million views on X, but it’s unveiled complexities that remain about differentiating foreign-influenced posts from domestic ones.
Ahmed criticized platforms like X, stating they are “failing catastrophically to control the dissemination of communications that glorify violence and kill count.”
While representatives from Russia, China, and Iran collectively deny accusations of orchestrating targeted disinformation campaigns aimed at Americans, official Chinese statements strongly reject claims about state-action propagating falsehoods surrounding Kirk’s assassination.
According to a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, “China condemns all unlawful and violent behaviors. However, we wholly refute some U.S. politicians singling China out for ‘spreading disinformation and inciting violence.’”
For external adversaries looking to ignite discord across the U.S., disinformation proves to be an economical and effective strategy. Meanwhile, threats to legitimate and well-informed public dialogue about Kirk’s death remain significant due to such false narratives.
Speaking at a recent press conference regarding the circumstances surrounding Kirk’s murder, Utah Governor Spencer Cox remarked, “There is a vast amount of disinformation is currently being tracked. What we are observing is a concerted effort by our adversaries to instigate conflict. We have bots spamming the internet from Russia, China, and beyond which are aiming to mislead and instigate violence.”
Cox encouraged individuals to disregard misleading claims that are specifically made to instill fear, suggesting instead that Americans in their leisure should reconnect by logging off social media and spending quality time with their families.
