Father sues google, facebook, twitter for providing support to terror

[2cherry]

This is massive! ...and now I wonder why this did not happen before? Google, Facebook & Twitter are indeed providing space for terrorists to spread hate and recruit members. It will be interesting to follow this story, and see how it develops. Such law suits might change the Internet as we know it... and I guess it is about time.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e81c0d0da63b43e2addee41deafab3c1/father-paris-attacks-victim-sues-social-media-companies

They should be more proactive in shutting down all accounts that spread hate and terror in any kind of form. Including those who spread hate against LGBTQ.

[wendylove]

Hi

Terrorist aren't something new, there's always been some kind of group using the name of religion to justify their frantic beliefs, whether its Christian or Muslim.
It does amaze me how the world is always playing catch up and are ignorant to their threat.
It also amazes me how the innocent many are discriminated against because of the actions of a small minority.
We of all groups of people should appreciate the affects of discrimination.
Why carn't people just live in peace and love?
Living in the UK I can not believe why in this day and age people in the USA need such easy access to the types of lethal weapons that are available to everyone.
Remove a terrorists tools of terror then all they can do is shout.
How many innocent people need to die in this world of ours, it does hang heavy on my heart. 

[Donnewany]

My advice to you is very valuable to me. I will remember it as a lesson.

[SadieBlake]

It will be interesting, however it's pretty clear to me that the suit is without merit. I sympathize with the father but I think his anger is misplaced.

Terrorists do not organize on social media, that would be the equivalent of emailing their planning directly to law enforcement / intelligence apparatus.

Further, if an online service sets a policy of policing any content then they're obligated to do so for all content. As far as I know Google, Facebook and Twitter all follow the line of disallowing hate speech and generally speech that is illegal such as child pornography.

Beyond that they not only cross a significant  moral line if they restricted what views they permitted to be aired, they also start to take on legal responsibility. Again, if you edit any content, you take responsibility for editing all content and set yourself up for huge liabilities - this was established in the early days of the internet.

[Beth Andrea]

Google and Facebook are very valuable sources of intelligence for anti-terrorism and anti-hate efforts. Better to have the enemy visible, than to send them back into the shadows.

Plus, 90+% of those who read internet sites, don't actually support them. (Just look here at Susan's...the donor/subscriber goal is 1% of the membership, but actual contributions come from just 1/2 of 1%.)