Attorney Sues Twitter, Facebook, Google Over Terror Attacks

A Michigan attorney has sued Twitter, Facebook, and Google on behalf of the victims of terror attacks in Europe, Dallas, Orlando,Fla., and San Bernardino, Calif. But, the Los Angeles Times reports, the case has just a slim chance of paying out for victims’ families. The social media and tech giants have the cover of the Communications Decency Act, which says online businesses cannot be considered the publisher or speaker of things their users say. The lawyer for the victims, Keith Altman, argues that many terrorists were inspired to conduct violence by viewing and spreading radical propaganda on social media, and argues that the tech companies effectively become content creators by writing the software that places ads next to extremist content. But last year, in an unrelated case, a federal judge ruled that providing accounts to terrorists doesn’t make Twitter liable. Win or lose, Altman says the lawsuits will make an impact. “As a practical matter, American citizens are no longer going to tolerate [terrorist support] from U.S. companies,” he told the Times. “Whether won or lost, these companies are not going to be able to do whatever they want anymore.”