When Luigi Mangione's arrest made headlines, social media platforms faced an unprecedented challenge. His X following exploded from 23,000 to 474,000 at a rate of 1,000 followers per minute, while platforms scrambled to contain what the Network Contagion Research Institute calls "a phenomenon once confined to niche subcultures." Through forensic analysis of viral hoaxes, examination of platform responses, and exclusive data from IDMO's study of 2,796 tweets, this episode reveals how social media companies lost control of a story that transformed from true crime to cultural movement. From mysterious DMCA takedowns to YouTube's systematic removal of independent creators, we examine how platforms' attempts to control the narrative may have backfired spectacularly. As one digital rights advocate notes, these actions raise serious questions about who controls public discourse during major news events.Keywords: Luigi Mangione, social media response, viral phenomenon, platform censorship, digital footprint, YouTube takedowns, content moderation, public discourse, digital rights, media control.
Episode blog and sources: jonnyllama.com)
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Keywords: Luigi Mangione, jury nullification, terrorism charges, UnitedHealthcare CEO murder, legal analysis, criminal justice, historical precedents, public support, hung jury, legal defense
