Magid: Why I took a Facebook break after Charlie Kirk killing

"Last week I did something unusual for me. I temporarily deleted the Facebook app from my phone and told my friends I'd be taking a break. Not forever, just long enough to clear my head. That decision wasn't about Facebook itself so much as what was happening in the country. The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk left me stunned, saddened and a bit scared."

"The killing was a tragedy, made even worse by what came after. The crime itself was horrifying. But the online reaction was what pushed me over the edge. Within hours, my Facebook feed filled with speculation, finger-pointing and misinformation. Some posts blamed entire groups of people. Others trafficked in conspiracy theories. And some were written with a level of cruelty that I found unbearable. Instead of helping us process grief, social media turned tragedy into another opportunity for outrage and division."

"For me, Facebook isn't just about staying in touch with friends and family. It's also where I've often had respectful discussions across the political spectrum. But this time, anger and misinformation drowned out the real conversation. I found myself getting angry too, which is rarely productive. Worse, I couldn't escape the constant stream of disturbing content. Hitting pause So I hit pause."

I temporarily deleted the Facebook app and told friends I was taking a break to clear my head. The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk left me stunned, saddened and scared, despite disagreeing with his politics. Within hours Facebook filled with speculation, finger‑pointing, misinformation, conspiracy theories and cruelty that made processing grief harder and increased division. Facebook often hosts respectful cross‑political discussions, but anger and misinformation drowned out real conversation and provoked personal anger. I paused Facebook use for days, still checking LinkedIn for professional contact, and sought distance from the constant stream of disturbing content. Recent examples of political violence mentioned include the killings of Minnesota House Speaker emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband, the assault on Nancy Pelosi's husband, the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and the firebombing of the Pennsylvania governor's mansion.

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