Bot Networks Suspected of Amplifying ’Civil War’ Rhetoric After Charlie Kirk Assassination

Social media platforms, particularly X, witnessed a surge in hostile rhetoric following the assassination of Charlie Kirk at a Utah event. Right-leaning posts dominated the discourse, with repeated calls for 'war' and 'civil war,' alongside demands for retribution against political adversaries. The uniformity of these posts—generic bios, MAGA-themed imagery, and repetitive phrasing—has sparked suspicions of coordinated bot activity.

Historical precedents and studies on inauthentic accounts suggest botnets could be manipulating the narrative. While no definitive evidence links this spike to foreign operations, the patterns echo tactics used by Russian and Chinese influence campaigns. Researchers warn that advanced AI tools are making such networks harder to detect, raising alarms about their potential to escalate societal tensions.