Facebook, Google, Twitter sued by families of San Bernardino attack victims

Skeptics had forewarned about such things long back and looks like we are finally confronting the dark side to social media. Amidst the growing criticism and debate about social media providing an easy platform for terrorists, fundamentalists and other criminals to propagate their ideology and species, families of the victims of the 2015 San Bernardino terror attack have sued several tech companies, including Facebook, Google, and Twitter alleging that they “knowingly and recklessly provided the terrorist group ISIS with accounts” and aid to spread extremism.

The relatives assert that by allowing Islamic State militants to spread propaganda freely on social media, the three companies provided "material support" to the group and enabled attacks such as the one in San Bernardino.

"For years defendants have knowingly and recklessly provided the terrorist group ISIS with accounts to use its social networks as a tool for spreading extremist propaganda, raising funds and attracting new recruits," family members of Sierra Clayborn, Tin Nguyen and Nicholas Thalasinos charge in the 32-page complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

“Without defendants Twitter, Facebook and Google (YouTube) the explosive growth of ISIS over the last few years into the most feared terrorist group in the world would not have been possible,” said the complaint.

On December 2, 2015, Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire on a holiday gathering of Farook's co-workers at a government building in San Bernardino, killing 14 people and wounding 22 others. According to authorities, the couple was inspired by Islamist militants. Similarly, in June 2016, an American-born gunman pledging allegiance to the leader of Islamic State shot 49 people to death at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, before he was killed by police.

Living victims as well as family members of the deceased in the Pulse killings filed a similar lawsuit against Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Though, Twitter and Facebook have policies which prohibit the posting of material which encourages or promotes violence, however Federal law gives internet companies broad immunity from liability for content posted by their users.