GOP's calls for Charlie Kirk social media crackdown hit roadblocks

Charlie Kirk’s assassination earlier this month spurred rare calls from the right for more content moderation measures on social media.

At least two Republican lawmakers backed calls for social media platforms to remove graphic videos of the shooting, another called for lifetime bans for users who celebrated Kirk’s death, while a senior Trump administration official suggested an end to anonymous accounts.

A week later, these calls seem to have gained little traction in Congress, and social media experts say tech companies are unlikely to pursue any change without mandates or incentives.

“Clearly, we need a change in direction on some of these issues,” Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr said at the Politico Tech and AI Summit on Tuesday.

However, he cautioned against g