By Sushant Agarwal
Published on | Sep 17, 2025
Many first learned of Charlie Kirk’s shooting through raw, bloody clips on social media—not TV or newspapers, with no warnings.
Unlike traditional media, violent clips on social media often bypass editors. Shocking content auto-plays without context or sensitivity checks.
Social media also amplifies bullying, gang fights, dating aggression, and even self-harm — exposing youth to risks beyond global conflicts.
Teens are more exposed than adults due to heavy use of TikTok, Instagram, and X. Research shows most teenagers encounter violent content online.
From schoolyard fights and knife attacks to war footage and terrorism — violent clips are raw, sudden, and deeply disturbing.
Exposure can trigger trauma-like symptoms, fear of going outside, and mental health issues such as anxiety, poor focus, and academic decline.
Constant exposure dulls empathy. Young people may become emotionally numb, normalising suffering and violence in everyday life.
Cultivation theory suggests heavy exposure makes the world seem far more dangerous, shaping behaviour even for those untouched by violence.
From Greek art to Vietnam War TV coverage, media has long shown violence — but always with editorial filters. Social media removes that filter.
Users can turn off autoplay, block violent content, take breaks, and report videos—but true safety needs stricter platform rules.