While some on the internet celebrate the assassination of a CEO, content moderators face a dilemma.
Social media platforms are being evaluated, while some members of the public are expressing contentment.
Following the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the response on social media was a whirlwind of memes, jokes, and subsequently, striking posts directed at the perpetrator of the crime. This tragic event has led many to reflect on the behavior of companies and their leaders, as well as the public's reaction to their decisions. Some view it as an opportunity to make humor in the face of a troubling political and economic reality.
At the same time, the situation has sparked an intense debate about content moderation in a context where freedom of expression is being reevaluated. On platforms like Reddit, there has been a documented increase in the removal of posts related to the CEO's death. A report indicates that the subreddit r/undelete is tracking the most popular content that is later deleted. Many of these posts, which received thousands of upvotes, persist in industry-related forums, such as r/nursing and r/medicine. Moderators of these subreddits are facing difficulties handling the large volume of posts that could be removed for violating anti-violence policies, as well as "no politics" and "no death" rules.
However, not everyone agrees that this type of content should be censored. Some users and moderators argue that discussions about the murder are valid and newsworthy, as the event has been covered by major news outlets. On the other hand, platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have also struggled to manage online reactions. UnitedHealthcare's post announcing Thompson's death became the target of ridicule, as users responded with over 31,000 laughing reactions compared to only 1,900 sad ones. Subsequently, the company decided to limit comments on its post.
Some analysts compare the surge of online reactions to the digital celebration that occurred following the death of the controversial Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, an event that was also filled with memes. Despite the festive online atmosphere, other users have advised caution regarding potential legal repercussions. In a TikTok titled "helpful advice from a former lawyer," there is a warning about the possible arrival of government authorities to question those who posted about the topic, recommending that individuals do not speak during such visits.
