Charlie Kirk Was Shot a Year Ago. The Conspiracy Theories Are More Rampant Than Ever
One year after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, conspiracy theories surrounding his death continue to proliferate online. Experts attribute the persistence of these baseless narratives to social media algorithms and influencers who monetize the speculation.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing challenge of misinformation and the role of digital platforms in radicalizing audiences through conspiracy-driven content.
It’s been one year since Kirk’s death, and conspiracy theories about the shooting have persisted, supercharged by social media algorithms and right-wing influencers like Candace Owens, who has used her huge following to push baseless allegations about the incident.
Experts believe these conspiracy theories will continue for a long time to come. “There’s no reason to believe conspiracy theories about Kirk’s murder will lose steam anytime soon,” Jared Holt, senior researcher at Open Measures, tells WIRED. “If anything, I expect them to escalate further as the criminal trial against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Kirk, plays out over the next year or so. The trial is bound to draw major media attention and offer conspiracy theorists a source of new material to work from.”
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