Neoliberal Violence and Excessive Healthcare Privatisation: A Social Media Analysis of Support Reactions to the UnitedHealthCare CEO’s Assassionation

Abstract

This paper analyses the supportive online reactions to the assassination of the CEO of UnitedHealthCare, a health insurance company in the United States. By examining 60 social media posts (30 from Instagram and 30 from X), the study aims to explore how supporters of this action express their opinions about the healthcare system in online environments. The relevance of this study lies in the significant support expressed for the perpetrator, which extends beyond extremist groups and includes
individuals from more moderate backgrounds. The results show that the assassination has exposed deeper societal frustrations, primarily reflected in the expression of negative emotions such as anger and resentment within the analysed posts.