The lawsuit names social media companies Meta, Alphabet, Reddit and 4chan
A New York state judge denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against social media companies Meta, Alphabet, Reddit and 4chan. The case alleges that these platforms contributed to the radicalization of a gunman who killed 10 Black people at a Tops grocery store in Buffalo in 2022.
Victims and families of the shooting argue that these social media companies profit from racist, antisemitic and violent material on their platforms, and fail to promptly remove disturbing content, which allegedly influenced the gunman’s behavior.
The lawsuit claims that before the attack, the shooter immersed himself in hateful content on these platforms and sought guidance to acquire weapons.
This case challenges the limits of Section 230, a law protecting internet platforms from liability for user-generated content.
The shooter, Payton Gendron, has been sentenced to life in prison under state charges and faces federal hate crime charges, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.