Violent moments online don’t stay in one corner of the internet. Even if your child isn’t on TikTok or Instagram, footage like this week’s Charlie Kirk’s assassination can still reach them through WhatsApp, YouTube, or friends. It’s raw, frightening, and impossible to “unsee.” This week’s viral footage is exactly that kind of moment: confronting, confusing, and one our kids may already have stumbled across before we’ve even had a chance to catch our breath. We can’t always control what flashes onto their screens — but we can help them make sense of it.

What happened

• On 10 September 2025, Charlie Kirk, a conservative US activist, was shot dead while giving a speech in Utah.
• ⁠Graphic videos of the moment spread fast on TikTok and other platforms, and it took hours for many to come down.
• Kids around the world — including those who didn’t know him at all — may have stumbled across this footage on their “For You” pages on Instagram and TikTok. Your child doesn’t need to have social media to have stumbled across this – some kids have been sent it via WhatsApp or come across it watching YouTube  on a family TV.

Why it matters for us as parents

• Kids may feel shocked, anxious, or even numb after seeing something violent online.
• Because these videos are real (not a movie), younger kids may find it hard to process the difference between danger “out there” and danger “right here.”
• If the first place they process it is with friends or memes, the seriousness of what they’ve seen can get distorted.

Conversation Starters for Primary School Kids (9–12 yrs)

At this age, kids might stumble across the footage through autoplay or older siblings or friends showing them. 

• “Sometimes the internet shows us things our brains aren’t ready for — have you seen a video lately that made you feel uncomfortable?”
• “Have you heard about a man in America who got hurt while talking to a crowd? Do you want me to explain what happened?“
• “When you see something scary, what does your body feel like? (Heart racing? Stomach sore?)”
• ⁠“What do you think apps like TikTok should do when scary videos go up?”
• ⁠“What’s something we can do together to help you feel calmer when you see something upsetting?”

Goal: Contain their feelings, name the scary thing, remind them you are their safe, ‘go to’ space when things feel scary out there and perhaps most importantly limit their access to YouTube for the next week or so.

Conversation Starters for High School Teens (13–18 yrs)

Teens are more likely to have watched, shared, or debated the footage. For them, it’s about making sense of what really is just outrageous, inexplicable and extreme.

• “Videos like the Charlie Kirk shooting went viral really quickly — how do you think seeing that affects people your age?”
• “Do you think people should be able to watch events like that uncensored, or should platforms step in sooner?”
• Do you think people should be able to watch events like that uncensored, or should platforms step in sooner?
• When you saw (or heard about) the video, did it feel different because it was real life and not a movie?
• Do you trust the way TikTok or Insta decide what to remove, or do you think they’re too slow?
• What do you think the risks are if people only see the video without understanding the bigger story behind it?”

Goal: Help them think critically, give them ownership in the discussion, open space for feelings they may otherwise mask.

The South African Twist

It is important for us as South African Klikd parents to realise our kids aren’t just passive viewers. Many will connect this with our lived realities of violence and protest. That can either amplify fear (“this could happen here”) or build numbness (“just another shooting”).

Extra angles for KLIKD South African parents to bring in might be:

• “Do you think seeing violence online makes us care more, or does it make us feel numb because we already see so much here?”
• When something happens overseas, why do you think it still ends up on our phones in South Africa?”
• If a video like this happened here, how would you want the media to show it?

These are tough times in the world.

What else can you do — Starting today

At Klikd, we don’t just highlight the latest viral crises — we give parents and schools practical ways to help kids before the next shocking video lands on their screens. milies:  Sign up to our online course for t/weens

👉 Klikd Online Course for Tweens and Teens:  Equip your child with the skills to set boundaries, manage upsetting content, and make safer digital choices with confidence.

👉 Klikd Digital Citizenship Programme for Schools: Bring essential online safety and digital resilience training directly into your school community. Our programme empowers every students to navigate their online world wisely and upskills parents to set healthy technology boundaries at home. Schools: Book a FREE DEMO of our Digital Citizenship Programme

SCHOOLS – Start 2026 Strong: Build confident, responsible digital citizens

At Klikd, we understand how tough it is for schools to keep pace with the fast-evolving digital landscape. That’s why our Digital Citizenship Programme for Grades 4–9 is designed to support schools in empowering learners with the tools they need to thrive—and stay safe—online.

The programme includes engaging, age-appropriate lessons on:

• Recognising and responding to inappropriate content
• Understanding how algorithms keep them hooked
• How to use AI ethically and responsibly
• Spotting scams, phishing, fake news and clickbait
• Navigating the risks and rewards of online gaming (a full module dedicated to this critical topic)

But our support doesn’t end in the classroom. Each week, parents receive expert-written scripts and conversation starters.Ready to equip your students and school community with real-world digital skills? With school budget season underway, now is the time to start 2026 strong! Book a DEMO of our Digital Citizenship Programme

These are tough times in the world.

More than ever,

Stay connected

Sarah and Pam