In a swift response to the ongoing investigation into the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, social media giants have taken decisive actions against the suspect, Luigi Mangione.
What Happened: On Monday, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) removed Mangione's Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Similarly, Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) YouTube deleted three channels linked to him, as well as an impersonator's channel. The channels were removed under YouTube's creator responsibility and impersonation policies.
Mangione's account on X, formerly Twitter was briefly suspended during his arraignment in Pennsylvania.
X's owner Elon Musk stated he was unaware of the suspension and promised to investigate.
Following this, Mangione's X account was reinstated. His account had seen a significant increase in followers, jumping from under a thousand to more than 274,000, at the time of writing.
Why It Matters: New York officials have charged Mangione with second-degree murder and multiple weapon possession charges, reported CNN.
He was arrested Monday morning in Pennsylvania and is being questioned regarding his involvement in Thompson's murder. The investigation continues as authorities seek to uncover the motive behind the killing.
The murder of Thompson has placed UnitedHealthcare under intense scrutiny. The company is facing questions about potential links between Thompson's death and industry tensions.
Bullet casings found at the crime scene bore inscriptions like "deny" and "delay," terms often associated with insurance practices.
This incident has also highlighted the growing trend of increased security spending by companies for their executives, with Mark Zuckerberg's Meta leading the way.