Conspiracy theories may be easy money for YouTube entertainers, but they risk derailing justice for Charlie Kirk by flooding the public with viral, fabricated narratives calculated to erode public trust in the Utah criminal justice system. Read Ngo Comment:
There are no great mysteries surrounding the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Investigators identified and arrested a suspect within 48 hours, and the evidence released has consistently aligned with the accusations against Tyler Robinson. Authorities have provided videos, photos, interview summaries with family members, and what they say are recovered communications between Robinson and his trans lover. Robinson believed, like most Democrats and leftists, that Kirk spread "transphobia" and needed to be stopped. Yet factions on both the left and right continue to pump out viral conspiracies and fabrications. Left-wing influencers immediately—and falsely—claimed Robinson was a far-right MAGA supporter. The lie spread so widely that some mainstream liberal outlets began reporting it as a possibility despite the rifle cartridges showing Antifa dogwhistles. On the right, YouTube and social media personalities have spent months tugging at every supposed loose thread: a man in the bushes, men in maroon shirts, unrelated aircraft flight data, foreign operatives, and elaborate international plots. None of it has lead anywhere. The result is wasted time and torment for Kirk’s family. What’s most dangerous is how this nonsense drowns out the real threat: the escalation of left-wing political violence. While conspiracy influencers chase clicks and cash, far-left extremists continue radicalizing one another—laying the groundwork for the next attack. Even worse, the misinformation is spreading so widely that it may be difficult to empanel a jury untouched by it.
Many are pleased to see traditional news media replaced with independent new media. But independence can also come with a cost: no editors, no guidelines and no guardrails to ensure accuracy or ethical conduct. I’m increasingly disturbed by the growing cohort of self-styled journalists and news commentators who rake in massive audiences by peddling conspiracy theories, hoaxes and innuendo. This isn’t harmless entertainment. It corrodes public trust, fuels paranoia, and spreads a level of institutional hatred that can do lasting damage to society.
