Charlie Kirk’s Death Highlights the Risks Teens Face in a Polarized, Misinformation-Filled Media World

We know Gen Z gets its news from TikTok and influencers — and many of them can’t clearly differentiate between fact, opinion, and conspiracy. But what does that mean in the wake of political violence?

When news broke that conservative activist Charlie Kirk had been assassinated, many adults turned to traditional outlets for updates: cable news, online newspapers, or radio bulletins. But for teenagers, the story often arrived first through TikTok clips, Instagram memes, or snippets passed around in Discord chats. Even worse, it was sometimes accompanied by the graphic video of the shooting, something that most reputable “grown-up” news outlets would have never shown.

That distinction matters. Because for today’s teens, news doesn’t just appear; it’s served up by an algorithm, packaged by influencers, and absorbed in the same scroll as dance trends, brain rot, and prank videos. Kirk’s tragic and politically charged death is a case study in how Gen Z encounters world events, and how those encounters shape their understanding of polarization — and even radicalization.

When Politics Meets the Feed

Kirk was more than a political operative. As The New York Times noted, his nonprofit organization Turning Point USA helped “make politics cool in high school,” recruiting young conservatives into a movement that blurred ideology with identity. He was a figure many teens were at least aware of — if not following directly — likely encountering him through memes or peers. 

That’s why the assassination hit differently for adolescents. For some of them, it was another major news story mixed into their TikTok FYPs. For others, it was a reminder that political polarization isn’t abstract: It’s violent, frightening, and unfolding in real time.

Yet the way teens process those events often strips away the gravity. As 15-year-old SheKnows Teen Council member Theo told us in a previous discussion: “I don’t really believe [the news] … I do kinda treat it as entertainment. But like, also, I kinda have to believe some of it.”

That uneasy half-skepticism, half-belief is the environment in which political violence lands.

The Misinformation Problem

According to a Pew Research study from late last year, nearly 40 percent of young adults ages 18 to 29 reported receiving their news through influencers on social media. And of those, 65 percent said content from influencers helped shape their perspective on current affairs and social concerns.

But here’s the catch: According to the same study, 77 percent of those news influencers have no background in journalism at all. They are not fact-checkers. They are not trained reporters. They are people with phones and followings, relaying information that may or may not be accurate.

For teens, the distinction between categories is especially blurry. Fewer than 2 in 10 teens correctly distinguished between news, opinion, and advertisement content in all cases, according to the News Literacy Project. Meanwhile, 8 in 10 teens on social media say they see posts that spread or promote conspiracy theories, and an overwhelming majority of those (81 percent) say they are inclined to believe at least one.

When political violence, like Kirk’s assassination, erupts, many teens are left trying to parse the difference between legitimate reporting and weaponized misinformation, often without the tools to do so.

TikTok as a Newsroom

SheKnows’ own Teen Council has underscored this shift in past conversations. Just over 45 percent of members reported getting most of their news from TikTok, and more than half said they follow one or more politicians on social media. But only 40 percent said they “frequently” fact-check what they see.

The immediacy of TikTok appeals to them. As Juliet, 17, explained in an earlier discussion: “Because we’re so online all the time, we just see it as soon as they make it.”

That speed also bypasses the filters traditional journalism once provided. Teen Council member Olivia, 16, pointed out the accessibility gap between different forms of media: “Everyone has TikTok, and it’s free to download. Everyone has Instagram, and it’s free to download.” Compare that with online news sites hidden behind paywalls, and it’s not hard to see why free, bite-size, visual content wins.

But the tradeoff is accuracy — or even clarity. Theo summed it up bluntly in a prior conversation: “Obviously [verified news organizations] are gonna be credible, but at the same time, like, are they twisting something? … You can’t really believe a lot of things.”

That skepticism may sound healthy. But in reality, it means teens are left without a stable sense of truth.

Polarization by Design

The problem isn’t just what teens are seeing — it’s how that content is being delivered by the platforms. Algorithms feed users posts that align with what they’ve already watched, liked, or even lingered on a little longer than usual. That creates ideological echo chambers, even if the teen wasn’t seeking one out.

According to a Pew Research Center study, news influencers often express clear political orientations. On Facebook, conservative influencers outnumber liberal ones by about 3 to 1 (39 percent to 13 percent). On Instagram, conservatives make up 30 percent of news influencers, whereas liberals make up 25 percent. TikTok is more balanced, with 25 percent of influencers publicly leaning right and 28 percent leaning left.

Why It Matters Now

Kirk’s death isn’t just an adult political story. It’s a youth story, too, because of how directly Turning Point USA targeted high school and college students — and how his image and rhetoric circulated in the same feeds where teens trade memes, watch comedy, and learn about world events. If teens are encountering that story primarily through TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, the risks are clear: misinformation, conspiracy theories, polarized commentary, or even recruitment pipelines masked as content.

Turning Point USA has reported a massive surge in activity since Kirk’s death: more than 50,000 new student sign-ups and over 54,000 inquiries to start campus chapters — with as many as 32,000 requests in the first 48 hours alone. This suggests that among ideologically engaged teens, the assassination has moved many from passive news consumption to active organization.

To further complicate the matter, the U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that it’s forming a partnership with more than 40 conservative organizations — Turning Point USA among them — to develop “patriotic” civic content for students. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a press release that the coalition is meant to “take bold steps to educate, inspire, and mobilize youth toward active and informed citizenship.” 

As SheKnows continues to survey our Teen Council and speak with experts, one thing is already clear: The assassination of a polarizing political figure has become another stress test for Gen Z’s news environment. And right now, it seems like that environment is designed less for civic health, and more for clicks and shares.

We’ll be updating this piece with direct insights from teens and experts on how they’re navigating political polarization and violence online.