Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta faced backlash online after sharing a clip of an “interview” with a digital avatar of Joaquin Oliver, a teenager who was killed in a shooting. The clip aimed to promote gun control awareness. This avatar was created by the father of Oliver, who was a victim in the 2018 Parkland shooting; he would have turned 25 recently.
Many on social media expressed their disapproval of what they termed Acosta’s “grotesque” interview, criticizing the use of a deceased teenager’s avatar for political purposes. One user on Bluesky questioned, “Are you interviewing an AI version of someone murdered?” pointing out the poor taste in doing so.
In response to Acosta promoting the interview as a “unique” discussion, critics were quick to highlight that he was actually speaking with a computer-generated version of Oliver. Some users decried the portrayal as a “grotesque puppet show,” emphasizing the insensitivity of such representations in the context of real grief.
Comments regarding Acosta’s approach were varied, with some users on social media noting his decision to disable comments on his posts, which they found to be telling about the backlash he received. Conservative commentators pointed out the implications of journalists engaging in such dialogues with AI versions of deceased individuals, calling for a deeper ethical discussion around the matter.
Acosta, who recently transitioned from CNN to Substack, and who has maintained a progressive commentary style, responded to some of the criticism but continued to defend his unique approach to journalism despite the surrounding controversy.
