U.S. Supreme Court dismisses ISIS lawsuit that would change the internet

Beatriz Gonzalez (right), mother of 23-year-old student Nochemi Gonzalez, who died in the Paris attacks, and stepfather Jose Hernandez, speaking before by the US Supreme Court after it closed the case against Google. Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

The U.S. Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to hold Google and Twitter responsible for videos that support the Islamic State terrorist group. ending a lawsuit that could change the rules that govern the Internet.

High judges dismissed a lawsuit brought by relatives of a terrorist attack victim who alleged that one of the world's largest technology companies aided and abetted ISIS by channeling it proceeds from advertising.

The court stated: «The fact that some perpetrators have taken advantage of these platforms is not sufficient to argue that the defendants knowingly provided substantial assistance and in doing so assisted and abetted these perpetrators.» acts.»

The ruling, based on two separate but very similar cases brought against Google and Twitter, upholds a controversial US technology company protection act called Section 230.

In the section 230 of the Communications Decency Act states that websites cannot be held responsible for content uploaded by their users.

Critics say the law's protections are too broad and protect clearly illegal content from being removed. Free speech advocates say it is wrong to hold platforms responsible for posts posted by third parties.

U.S. courts have previously interpreted Section 230 broadly, holding that it also protects automatic recommendations made by social media algorithms.

p>In a ruling Thursday, the family of Nochemi Gonzalez, a US citizen killed by terrorists, sued Google, alleging that Big Tech hosted ISIS propaganda videos and shared advertising revenue with the organization through YouTube's revenue sharing system.

A 23-year-old design student was killed in a terrorist attack in Paris in 2015.

Summing up the Gonzalez family's case, the Supreme Court said: «All of their claims are generally about the use of YouTube, which is owned by Google and run by ISIS and ISIS supporters"

Closing the case, the judges cited a nearly identical lawsuit against Twitter, which was also dismissed on Thursday, saying it was too much about a sequel.

They added: «Therefore, we refuse to consider the application of section 230, which appears to contain few plausible claims for assistance, if any.»

Democrat Sen. Mark Earlier this year, Warner of Virginia introduced a bill that he says would make social media companies liable for «malicious scams, harassment and violent extremism that are prevalent on their platforms.»