Some Delta Air Lines employees are learning the hard way that what they write online can have consequences in real life, as reported by JonNYC. Then again, this just gets at a much bigger issue with our society, about division, how we communicate, etc.
On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, we saw the murder of Charlie Kirk, an outspoken political activist, during an event at a college in Utah. No matter how much we may disagree with someone, nobody deserves to have their life taken because they have a different view than us. Worst of all, Kirk has two young children, who now have to grow up without a father due to someone else’s horrible decision.
The internet isn’t exactly a friendly place, and as you’d expect, Kirk’s death has elicited a wide range of responses, from sympathy to glee.
Most major companies have social media policies that dictate how employees can act online. Some people have been seeking out inappropriate comments directed toward Kirk online, and have been reporting them to employers. Along those lines, Delta is the first airline that seems to be taking action in this regard, or at least addressing this on a widespread basis.
These comments aren’t at all hard to find — just go to any social media platform, and search “Charlie Kirk Delta,” or something, and you’ll likely see them.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian has just issued the following memo to employees regarding this, indicating that some employees have been suspended, and termination is a possibility as well:
“No one better connects the world” isn’t just a catchphrase — it’s our mission. For 100 years, Delta people have been known for our spirit of service, making the world better one customer at a time.
Whether we’re in uniform and on the clock, online or out in public, our colleagues, customers and communities expect us to reflect Delta’s values — integrity, care and servant leadership — that we hold dear.
This week we were made aware of Delta employees whose social media content, related to the recent murder of activist Charlie Kirk, went well beyond healthy, respectful debate. These social posts stand in stark contrast to our values and our social media policy, and these employees have been suspended pending an investigation. Violations of our social media policy can carry meaningful consequences, including termination.
Remember that we all represent Delta, at all times, in any forum. It’s essential that we act in ways that uphold our shared values and the human connection that defines us.
Thank you for all you do, every day, to take care of our customers and each other.
The internet is really becoming a very dark place
I don’t blame Delta for enforcing its social media policy. As a matter of fact, it’s something the airline should do. Unfortunately the internet just brings out the worst in people, and for whatever reason, many people can’t help themselves. People should just follow a simple rule — if you’re using identifying information online, assume that your employer will see what you post, and ask yourself if they’d be fine with it.
The thing is, many of these Delta employees aren’t necessarily openly putting in their social media bios that they work for the airline, and they aren’t claiming to be company representatives. But they’ll have a picture or two in uniform somewhere in their feed, and they seemingly don’t realize that this connects them to the company. C’mon, folks, use common sense!
The internet, and particularly social media, has just become such a dark and unpleasant place. There’s more effort put into finding division than common ground.
The irony is of course that the people who are most aggressively reporting people to employers for what they write online are the same people who post the most controversial and offensive things when something similar on the other side happens.
It’s not that they’re upset that someone is being insensitive, but they’re upset that someone is disagreeing with them, and they want to find any way possible to punish them for that. And let me be clear, that’s not exclusive to any one side, and it happens across the political spectrum.
In the United States we have free speech, but of course that doesn’t mean that what you see is free of consequences. The consequences are of course the biggest if you use your real name, you work for someone else, etc.
I think this is also why the internet is becoming a worse place by the day. The above reality essentially encourages people to use anonymous accounts, and that only emboldens people to be their worst, loudest, and most controversial self.
The only people who can non-anonymously say super hateful things online without consequences are those who literally make a living doing that. Then oddly, you have people like Elon Musk claiming that if you’re “unfairly treated” by your employer due to something you posted online, he’ll fund your legal bills, with no limit.
Bottom line
Delta is taking action against employees who have violated the company’s social media policy, following the murder of Charlie Kirk. It’s a good reminder that free speech doesn’t mean that what you say is free of consequences.
Delta has a social media policy, and the company is within its rights to enforce that. I just wish the internet weren’t evolving the way it was. There’s little sense of objective ethics or right vs. wrong anymore, and instead, it’s all about punishing those with different opinions. And again, I think that applies across the spectrum.
What do you make of Delta enforcing its social media policy?
