Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) warned Sunday that the internet is fueling extremism in the U.S. and contributing to the toxic climate that preceded the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Coons said Kirk “should not have paid with his life for the opportunity to speak out” and called the internet “an accelerant” of political violence. Lankford agreed, saying social media algorithms amplify “who’s the angriest, who’s the loudest, who says the craziest thing,” while civil debate is drowned out.
Both senators urged bipartisan cooperation to reject political violence. They highlighted the Kids Online Safety Act, a measure with broad support designed to protect children from harmful online content. Lankford also cited Oklahoma schools’ cell phone ban as improving classroom civility.
Their comments echo Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who called social media a “cancer” in the wake of Kirk’s assassination. Cox said it has played “a direct role in every single assassination and assassination attempt” in recent years.
Robert Pape, a University of Chicago political violence researcher, added that while the internet is not the root cause, it acts “like throwing gasoline on the fire,” urging political leaders to take stronger action.
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