• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a bizarre digital trail has intensified conspiracy theories online. A book titled “The Shooting of Charlie Kirk: A Comprehensive Account of the Utah Valley University Attack, the Aftermath, and America’s Response” briefly appeared on Amazon with a listed publication date of September 9, 2025 — one day before the shooting. Screenshots of the listing, attributed to an author named Anastasia J. Casey quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter) before the title was removed.

Viral Listings and Social Media Frenzy

Within hours of the incident, users reported spotting multiple books on Amazon covering the shooting — complete with paperback and audio versions. Titles included “The Charlie Kirk Shooting: A Nation on Edge” and “The Legacy of Charlie Kirk: A Biography of His Rise, His Movement, and His Tragic Death.”

Screenshots showed these books were priced as low as $7.99, claiming to provide the “full story” of both the assassination and the alleged “quick arrest of the shooter” — despite the fact that no arrest had been made, and police only released another suspect video on Thursday.

The uncanny timing fueled claims of foreknowledge and metadata manipulation, with one user posting: “They can see into the future… possible, not probable. They had foreknowledge… possible and probable.”

ALSO READ: DoT Seeks Explanation From Jio, Airtel Over Discontinuation Of 1GB/Day Mobile Data Plans

Self-Publishing or Digital Exploitation?

Experts familiar with Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) pointed out inconsistencies:

- Backdating titles is not possible in KDP. Dates can only be pushed forward.

- Verification delays: fresh titles, especially on sensitive events, often take 24 hours to several weeks for approval.

- Timestamps are automated and cannot be manually altered.

This suggests the predated listings were not evidence of foresight but likely the result of automated AI-generated content exploiting real-time events.

Amazon Responds

In a statement to TOI, Amazon said:

“We have content guidelines governing which books can be listed for sale, and we remove books that do not adhere to these guidelines. The title in question is no longer available for sale. Due to a technical issue, the date of publication that had been displayed for this title, while it was briefly listed, was incorrect, and we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. The title was published late in the afternoon on September 10th.”

ALSO READ: Google Introduces New ‘Purchases’ Tab In Gmail To Simplify Online Shopping

The Broader Concern: AI-Generated Disinformation

This episode highlights how AI-powered self-publishing tools can be misused to churn out low-quality or misleading books within hours of major events, amplifying misinformation loops on social media.

Utah Governor Spencer Cox urged caution, warning that foreign adversaries are using bots to “instill disinformation and encourage violence.”

Bottom Line

This case highlights a potentially alarming trend where artificial intelligence (AI), self-publishing platforms like WordPress and viral social platforms converge, producing instantaneous conspiracy fodder. While Amazon has since removed the listings in question from their listings page, the issue highlights just how quickly AI-generated content can undermine trust in our information ecosystem during national crises.