Congress Summons Executives of Reddit, Twitch, and Discord to Appear After Incident Involving Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, a prominent MAGA influencer and American patriot, was tragically shot and killed on September 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The suspect, Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, turned himself in to authorities the day after the murder, following the release of security footage by the FBI.
The shooting of Kirk is being considered as a politically motivated assassination, although the exact politics of the suspect have yet to be determined. The investigation has revealed that the bullet cartridges found near the scene of the crime were engraved with internet meme messages. These messages include: "Notices bulges OWO what's this?", "Hey fascist! Catch!" (with symbols), "Oh bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao ciao", and "If you read this you are gay LMAO".
In the wake of this tragic event, Congressman James Comer, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has issued a statement calling for the CEOs of Discord, Steam, Twitch, and Reddit to testify at a committee hearing on October 8, 2025. The hearing is aimed at preventing future radicalization and violence, and ensuring that online platforms are not exploited for nefarious purposes.
It's unclear why the CEOs of Twitch, Steam, and Reddit are also being asked to testify, but the indictment suggests that Robinson allegedly communicated with friends on Discord, prompting the call for the CEO of Discord to testify at the committee hearing. Discord has confirmed that its CEO will testify at the hearing.
The indictment also alleges that Robinson called Kirk "full of hate". The committee hearing will provide an opportunity for the CEOs to explain what actions they will take to prevent the use of their platforms for such purposes. As of now, Reddit, Twitch, and Valve (the owner of Steam) have not responded to questions emailed about whether their respective CEOs will be attending the hearing.
The hearing comes at a time when concerns about online radicalization and the role of social media platforms in spreading hate speech and violent content are at the forefront of public discourse. The committee hearing will be a significant step in addressing these concerns and ensuring the safety of users on these platforms.
