After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, social media, particularly X, was inundated with aggressive rhetoric advocating for civil war. Posts emerged from generic, low-engagement accounts that bore signs of being bot-driven, such as repetitive phrases warning of retribution against leftists and a surge of posts within hours of the incident. Researchers echo concerns about the use of bot networks to amplify political messages, drawing parallels to previous geopolitical interference by foreign powers like Russia and China. Although no definitive attribution for this surge of violent language has been established, the consistent patterns of account behavior suggest a coordination effort akin to known bot activity. Studies indicate that botnets can generate billions of impressions, making it increasingly difficult to identify automated accounts due to AI-driven advancements. While right-leaning influencers on social media are also calling for aggressive actions, the exact mix of human and bot contributors to this discourse remains unclear, emphasizing the complicated landscape of online political dialogue.

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