New York Court Grants Social Media Immunity in Buffalo Mass Shooting Case

A New York state appeals court has ruled that major social media companies, including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Google’s YouTube, and Reddit, cannot be held liable for allegedly aiding the radicalization of a gunman responsible for the 2022 Buffalo mass shooting. The attack, carried out by white supremacist Payton Gendron, killed 10 Black people at a Tops Friendly Markets grocery store.

In a 3-2 decision, the Appellate Division in Rochester reversed a lower court ruling, citing Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability over user-generated content. Justice Stephen Lindley, writing for the majority, said imposing liability could “end the Internet as we know it,” as platforms would face lawsuits for content sorting and display.

The plaintiffs, including victims’ families and witnesses, argued that the platforms’ algorithms were intentionally addictive and amplified extremist content, directly influencing Gendron’s actions. Other defendants named in the lawsuit include Amazon, Discord, Snap, Twitch, and 4chan.

Dissenting justices Tracey Bannister and Henry Nowak contended that forcing targeted content—whether harmless or extremist—goes beyond what Section 230 was meant to protect, challenging the idea that immunity fosters a competitive and open internet.

Gendron, who live-streamed parts of the attack, pleaded guilty to state murder and terrorism charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2023. He also faces federal hate crime charges that could result in the death penalty, with jury selection slated for August 2026.

The ruling highlights ongoing legal and ethical debates over social media companies’ responsibilities in curbing online extremism while balancing free speech and platform immunity under U.S. law.