Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) on Friday urged people to turn away from social media, calling it a “cancer on our society” after announcing that the suspected gunman in the killing of Charlie Kirk is in custody.
At the end of his press conference announcing 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspected gunman in the shooting at Utah Valley University, Cox urged people to log off of social media, citing the violent imagery that proliferates through the medium.
“We are not wired as human beings — biologically, historically — we have not evolved in a way that we are capable of processing those types of violent imagery. And by the way, we’ve seen another one with a gruesome stabbing very recently that went viral. This is not good for us. It is not good to consume,” said Cox, referring to the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in North Carolina earlier this month.
“Social media is a cancer on our society right now,” he added. “I would encourage people to log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community.”
During the conference, Cox referenced similar remarks about social media that Kirk had made on the platform X in June.
“When things are moving very fast and people are losing their minds, it’s important to stay grounded. Turn off your phone, read scripture, spend time with friends, and remember internet fury is not real life. It’s going to be ok,” Kirk wrote.
The governor said society has a chance to decide where it will go in this moment, to either “escalate” or “find an off-ramp.”
