While the lawsuits by the Buffalo mass shooting survivors primarily target online platforms, they also seek to hold the gun industry accountable for its alleged role in perpetuating gun violence|Andre Carrotflower|CC-BY-SA-4.0
Aiming to hold social media liable for causing emotional trauma, victims’ families and 17 survivors of the tragic 2022 Buffalo mass shooting have initiated legal actions against YouTube and Reddit.
The racially-motivated attack killed 10 Black individuals last year.
Legal representatives for the survivors argue that YouTube, its parent Alphabet Inc. and Google, and Reddit failed to promptly remove disturbing content depicting the shooting, exacerbating their emotional distress. Further, the lawsuit alleges the gunman was radicalized through exposure to harmful content and learned information to help carry out his attack.
While the lawsuits primarily target online platforms, they also seek to hold the gun industry accountable for its alleged role in perpetuating gun violence.
The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of providing motivation, equipment and information.
Peyton Gendron, the shooter, faces life imprisonment and federal hate crime charges without parole.