Cox’s comments came in an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” when a reporter followed on his remarks Friday in which he called social media “a cancer.”

“There is no question in my mind, and cancer probably isn’t a strong enough word,” Cox said. “What we have done, especially to our kids, it took us a decade to realize how evil these algorithms are.”

Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. Authorities believe the suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, became radicalized in his beliefs through video games and social media.

“Friends have confirmed that there was kind of that deep, dark internet, Reddit culture, and these other dark places of the internet, where this person was going deep,” Cox said.

Cox further emphasized the damage he believes social media has had in escalating violence across the county. He said that “trillion dollar” corporations have “figured out how to hack our brains” with their algorithms.

“(They) get us addicted to outrage, which is the same type of dopamine, the same chemical that you get from taking fentanyl,” Cox said. ” … They get us to hate each other. I’m seeing it in real time since the tragic death of Charlie Kirk, I’m seeing it in every corner of our society. The conflict entrepreneurs are taking advantage of us, and we are losing our agency, and we have to take that back.”

The governor mentioned steps the state of Utah has taken to combat social media. The Utah State Legislature passed bills in 2024 intended to protect minors on social media platforms and hold social media companies responsible for mental health problems caused by the design of social media.

This year the state legislature banned students from using cellphones in schools.

“They are taking no responsibility for this,” Cox told CNN Sunday of the social media companies. “In fact, they’re suing the state of Utah to stop the most comprehensive social media reforms in the world’s history that are happening right here, and we absolutely have to hold them accountable.”