Supreme Court rules internet companies not responsible for terrorist attacks

Section 230 survives for now as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Google and Twitter were not liable for overseas terrorist attacks. The court found that the companies had not “aided and abetted” the terrorists. (ABC News, May 19, 2023, by Devin Dwyer)

The court failed to address whether Section 230 that protects companies from liability for content users post was too broad. The court determined it would not have to address that question in that Google was not responsible for a terrorist attack in Paris. (The Associated Press, May 18, 2023, by Mark Sherman)

Eric Goldman, Technology & Marketing Law Blog, May 18, 2023, writes that the court decided that offering tools does not establish aiding and abetting. But in dodging Section 230 the court will still have to rule on it given the numbers of cases in the lower courts.