U.S. Supreme Court favors social media companies in terror support dispute

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of social media companies Facebook, Google, and Twitter, rejecting accusations that they aided and abetted terrorist groups.

The case involved the 2017 attack on the Reina nightclub in Turkish metropolis Istanbul claimed by Daesh/ISIS, which killed 39 people.

The family of Nawras Alassaf, one of the victims, sued the three social media companies based on the 2002 anti-terrorism law.

It argued that these companies had knowingly allowed ISIS and its followers to use their platforms for recruitment, fundraising, and propaganda dissemination.

The family argued that the companies had not done enough to remove content from terrorist groups.

However, the top court unanimously found that the link between the defendants and Daesh/ ISIS was remote.

It said the plaintiffs failed to prove that these platforms intentionally provided substantial assistance or knowingly participated in the Reina attack.

“Plaintiffs have failed to allege that defendants intentionally provided any substantial aid to the Reina attack or otherwise consciously participated in the Reina attack—much less that defendants so pervasively and systemically assisted ISIS as to render them liable for every ISIS attack. Plaintiffs accordingly have failed to state a claim,” said the court ruling authored by Justice Clarence Thomas.

The court said it may be that bad actors like ISIS can use platforms, but the same could be said of cell phones, email, or the Internet in general.

The Supreme Court returned the case to a lower court for reconsideration. 

In an unsigned three-page decision, however, it noted that the case appears to have little or no plausible claim to relief.

The Ninth Circuit court is now directed to reconsider the case in light of the decision related to the attack on the Reina nightclub.

Previously, the apex court also rejected a plea against Google in connection with the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people (ISIS).

The lawsuit was filed by the family of Nohemi Gonzalez, a U.S. citizen who was killed in the attacks. 

The family claimed that Google was responsible for Gonzalez’s death because Google allegedly approved Daesh/ ISIS videos for YouTube ads and recommended their videos to users.

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. protects social media companies from disputes over content posted by social media users on their websites.

Both rulings mark major victories for the tech industry.