social media

A new era of accountability is emerging when it comes to what people say on social media.

An expert said that is what we are seeing following the killing of Charlie Kirk.

This comes as controversial posts by employees nationwide and in Tennessee saw firings and suspensions.

The expert told FOX 17 News that people’s outrage online over the posts played a significant role in the firings and suspensions. He added it’s a turning point in how quickly we reach accountability.

The backlash against multiple Mid-State universities’ staff and city employees’ social media posts on conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death ended in their firing or suspension, sometimes within hours.

The now former MTSU assistant dean, Laura Sosh-Lightsy, posted this in part: “zero sympathy.”

She was fired the same day.

Former Cumberland University Professor Michael Rex wrote:

“On Charlie Kirk: Thoughts & Prayers. Oh, AND Kharma is a beautiful b&*ch.”
A protest on Friday demanded further action after many online were calling for his firing.

He and assistant coach Max Wood were subsequently fired.

A Metro 911 dispatcher posted what appeared to be a shirt in the image of Kirk getting shot, saying, “DEBATE THIS.”

She was put on administrative leave the next day.

This comes as people screenshotted some of the comments and posted them online, calling for their removal.

These calls were reposted dozens of times by others, including by elected officials.

“I feel like a lot of the nation has gotten to the point where they’re like, we’ve gone too far,” said Dr. Matt Chalmers, a social media expert.
He said the pressure of the online community contributed to the fallout.

“You create this echo chamber because of the way the algorithm works,” he said.

Dr. Chalmers said that because of the scope of how social media reacted, he believes it sped up the repercussions for the employees.

“So, the internet’s regulating itself by saying if you guys now have consequences for your actions,” he said.

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, now X, increased transparency by becoming less restrictive on posts. Dr. Chalmers said that it fuels visibility on the calls for consequences.

“As we got more freedom, what’s happening is that people are like, you’re going to be held accountable for the things that you say and that you do,” he said.

He told FOX 17 News he has never seen accountability at this speed, and both sides of the aisle should be cautious about making emotional social media posts.

He is also concerned that if the algorithm picks up, it could start pushing more people towards content in their political viewpoint instead of neutrality, which he said could lead to more violence.

Read the story here: https://fox17.com/news/local/social-medias-role-in-rapid-firings-suspensions-for-posts-on-charlie-kirks-death
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