By Allie Hunter

What happened this week

Recently two very upsetting videos have circulated widely online. In one, Charlie Kirk, a political speaker, was shot during an event at Utah Valley University. In another, Iryna Zarutska, a young woman from Ukraine, was stabbed while riding a Charlotte light rail train. Many children and teenagers have come across these clips in their social feeds or heard friends talking about them.

These kinds of videos can feel shocking and confusing. They also tend to travel quickly on social media, which means even kids who do not go looking for them can stumble across them.

Why these videos spread so quickly

  • Many people record public events on their phones and upload clips immediately.
  • Social platforms use algorithms that recommend trending content to more users.
  • Warnings and removals often happen after the fact, so disturbing videos can reach a lot of viewers before being flagged.

How kids might feel after seeing violent content

  • Shocked, scared or sad.
  • Anxious about their own safety.
  • Unsure how to process what they saw.
  • Sometimes numb or avoidant because the content feels overwhelming.

Savvy Cyber Kids Founder Ben Halpert reminds us:

“You can’t unsee kidnapping, torture, rape, and murder once exposed. While adults may understand the horrific context and have the resources to reach out for counseling when needed, this kind of exposure can be scarring and traumatic for children — even more so when it happens over and over, from one video to the next.”

While it’s important to keep young people informed about the world, parents and caregivers should carefully consider these consequences and recognize the psychological risks.

How adults can help

Parents and educators can play an active role in helping young people navigate and understand violent content online. In particular, they can:

  1. Explain the context and consequences of violence in age-appropriate ways.
  2. Teach non-violent conflict resolution skills.
  3. Minimize kids’ screen time, especially before bedtime for children under 16.
  4. Encourage media use only in shared areas like living rooms for our youngest children.
  5. Foster open dialogue about current events and feelings.

Our hearts are with not only the two victims mentioned here, but also with the many other victims of violence who appear in news stories and online videos. We can model empathy and help our kids understand what these incidents do and do not mean about the world we live in.

Conversation starters

  • How do you feel when you come across violent content online?
  • Are there specific platforms where you see more violent content?
  • What are some examples of non-violent ways to resolve conflict?
  • What strategies can help you manage how much time you spend consuming online content?
  • When you feel scared or anxious, what are five things you can do to refocus?

Learn More:

Savvy Cyber Kids educates and empowers digital citizens, from parents and grandparents, to teachers and students. Sign up for our free resources to help you navigate today’s digital world with cyber ethics. See more cyber safety and cyber ethics blogs produced exclusively for EarthLink. Looking for a social media parental control? Try a 30-day free trial of Bark. If you sign up after your trial, Bark donates 25% of your monthly fee to Savvy Cyber Kids.

Thank you to the Savvy Cyber Kid’s sponsors!

Interested in becoming a Savvy Cyber Kids sponsor? Email Ben Halpert.