Unraveling the Web of Chaos After Charlie Kirk's Tragic Shooting
Orem, Utah, USATue Sep 16 2025
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In the wake of Charlie Kirk's tragic shooting at Utah Valley University, the internet became a breeding ground for confusion and wild theories. People took to social media to spread rumors, misidentify suspects, and even create fake headlines. It's like a digital wildfire, where false information spreads faster than the truth.
One viral video showed an older man being detained by police, with claims he was the shooter. But there's no proof this was connected to Kirk's case. Another video falsely identified a Black man in California as the suspect, even though it was from a different incident months earlier. There were also posts sharing footage from a Nevada casino shooting, claiming it was Kirk's shooter. These posts were quickly debunked, but the damage was done.
The internet also saw a wave of fake headlines. One meme featured a made-up CNN headline quoting Kirk about a hypothetical shooting. CNN denied ever publishing such a story. Another post suggested the New York Times knew about the shooting beforehand because of a timestamp discrepancy. Google explained that these issues can happen due to time zone differences or multiple dates on a page.
AI chatbots didn't help either. Perplexity's bot account incorrectly said Kirk was still alive, while Grok cited unspecified reports about a man named Michael Mallinson being detained. Later, Grok admitted Mallinson was falsely accused. These chatbots also labeled real statements as fabricated, adding to the chaos.
It's clear that in times of tragedy, misinformation can run rampant. People should be cautious about what they share online and always verify information before spreading it. The internet is a powerful tool, but it can also be a dangerous place when used irresponsibly.
https://localnews.ai/article/unraveling-the-web-of-chaos-after-charlie-kirks-tragic-shooting-1295876e
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