Plain-English summary
Court says plaintiffs’ allegations that social platforms aided ISIS do not state a claim under the Anti‑Terrorism Act
The Court unanimously reversed a Ninth Circuit ruling and held that the plaintiffs’ complaint did not plausibly plead that Twitter and other social platforms “aided and abetted” an ISIS terrorist act under the Anti‑Terrorism Act. The decision narrows the circumstances in which victims can sue platforms for providing services that terrorists used.
Why this matters
The ruling limits when victims of overseas terrorist attacks can hold U.S. tech platforms civilly liable under the Anti‑Terrorism Act. It preserves broad protections for providers of online services against suits based on the misuse of their platforms, unless plaintiffs can allege concrete, knowing, and substantial assistance tied to the terrorist act.
Who may feel it
- Social‑media and internet companies (platforms, hosting services, ad networks)
- Victims of terrorism and their families seeking civil recovery
- Plaintiffs’ lawyers and civil‑litigation defendants in terrorism‑related cases
- Policy makers and regulators focused on platform responsibility