Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Sunday blamed social media for fostering extremism and said the platforms have “played a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt” in recent years, comments made as investigators continue to probe the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Cox, a Republican, acknowledged that law enforcement is still working to determine the motivations of the 22-year-old suspect, identified by authorities as Tyler James Robinson, but argued that outrage-driven online algorithms are radicalizing young adults. Kirk, 31, was shot while speaking with students at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. Cox said more details were likely to emerge once Robinson is formally charged Tuesday.
"I believe that social media has played a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt that we have seen over the last five, six years. There is no question in my mind," Cox told NBC’s Meet the Press. "Cancer probably isn’t a strong enough word. What we have done especially to our kids, it took us a decade to realize how evil these algorithms are." He urged Americans to "touch grass" and step away from platforms that he said are designed to maximize outrage and addiction.
Cox pointed to Utah’s 2023 Social Media Regulation Act as the state’s response to those concerns. The law requires age verification for users, restricts targeted advertising to minors and allows parents to sue companies over harm to children. Portions of the law were blocked by a federal judge last year on First Amendment grounds, prompting revisions that Cox said were intended to withstand legal scrutiny.
So far, public details about Robinson’s online activity remain limited. Former classmates described him to media outlets as "very online" and a "Reddit kid," and prosecutors have not publicly disclosed a motive. Law enforcement officials have said they continue to review digital evidence as part of the investigation.
The killing of Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and commentator, has prompted renewed attention to the role of online platforms in political polarization and violent radicalization. Cox framed the issue as broader than one party or one platform, calling out what he described as "conflict entrepreneurs" who profit from stoking division and said communities must reclaim agency from technology companies.
The United States has seen a rise in politically motivated violence in recent years, and debates over how to regulate social media have intensified in statehouses and in Washington. Supporters of tougher regulations argue that platforms amplify misinformation and extremist content and addict users through algorithmic feeds. Opponents warn that broad restrictions risk infringing free speech and can be difficult to enforce.
Cox, who has been governor since 2021 and is a father of four, has previously been an outspoken critic of major social media companies. He reiterated on Sunday that Utah will continue to pursue policy interventions and urged families to limit children’s exposure to online content. He also criticized the sharing of graphic footage from the Kirk shooting, saying humans are not evolved to process such violent imagery and that dissemination only compounds harm.
Authorities have charged Robinson with no crime publicly as of Sunday; Cox said a formal charging announcement was expected on Tuesday. Investigators continue to gather evidence and review digital material as part of the ongoing criminal inquiry, officials said.