The two court rulings represent a victory for internet companies facing increased scrutiny of user content on their platforms.
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a series of victories for internet and social media companies, ruling to reject or avoid claims that the companies could be held liable for content posted on their sites.
The court on Thursday unanimously reversed a lower court ruling that had allowed a lawsuit over allegations that Twitter and other platforms aided and abetted the Islamic State (ISIS) group to proceed.
Also Thursday, the court sent a similar case against Google back to a lower court, refusing to consider it.
The court’s decision is a victory for technology and social media companies that have faced increased scrutiny and, in some cases, liability issues for their roles in monitoring user-generated content.
A lawsuit against Twitter Inc. brought by the relatives of a man killed in an ISIL nightclub attack in Turkey in 2017 accused the social media company of failing to prevent violent groups from using its platform.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for a 9-0 majority that the plaintiffs in the case “cannot point to a lack of encouragement, solicitation, or advice” for the social media giant’s attacks. Stated.
“Rather, they essentially portray the defendants as bystanders, passively watching over ISIS.” [ISIL] “I carried out an evil plan,” he continued. “Such allegations do not allege aiding or participating in a crime.”
The Biden administration previously expressed support for Twitter on the matter. It said the federal anti-terrorism law at the center of the case does not apply to “the provision of general assistance to a foreign terrorist organization” that is not directly related to the attack.
Nevertheless, the American relatives of Nowras Alassaf, a Jordanian man killed in a 2017 New Year’s Eve attack at an Istanbul nightclub, say Twitter provided “substantial support” for “an act of international terrorism.” and sought compensation for damages. The attack killed Alassaf and 38 others.
A second lawsuit filed Thursday was sent back to a lower court, this time alleging that tech giant Google was also involved in the 2015 ISIL attacks in Paris.
There, assailants targeted a series of locations, including the Bataclan theater and France’s national stadium, with bombs and firearms, and American university student Nohemi Gonzalez, 23, was among the 130 people killed. was. Gonzalez was sitting in a bistro when he was shot.
Gonzalez’s family had alleged that Google provided illegal support to ISIL by disseminating material through its video-sharing platform YouTube.
Lower courts had previously dismissed the case, which sought to reduce the protections afforded internet companies for content posted by users under a law known as Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. .
In an unsigned opinion Thursday, the Supreme Court said there was scant evidence linking Google to the Paris attacks.
“We therefore decline to address the application of Section 230 to complaints where few plausible claims for relief appear to be stated,” the opinion reads.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in both cases in February, and at that time expressed skepticism about the merits of both cases.