The past 10 days have delivered a spate of high-profile firings and suspensions spurred by individuals’ comments about the fatal shooting of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk.
ABC, for example, took Jimmy Kimmel off the air indefinitely following comments he made in his monologue regarding the alleged shooter. MSNBC similarly booted Matthew Dowd for on-air comments, but social media posts also seem to be the catalyst for employment actions.
The Washington Post fired Karen Attiah. Riverside Walter Reed Hospital in Virginia reportedly fired an anesthesiologist; similarly, a Children’s Healthcare hospital in Georgia reportedly fired one of its healthcare employees. And according to the Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, American Airlines workers also were removed for “celebrating the assassination” of Kirk. Employees at Clemson University, Cumberland University, The University of Mississippi and Middle Tennessee State University have been canned for Kirk-related online statements.
These high-profile actions are a reminder to employers of the importance of solid social media policies, according to experts — akin to the advice following protests about George Floyd’s murder and the Israel-Hamas war.
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