RantCrush Top 5: December 20, 2016

The families of three of the victims from the Pulse Nightclub shooting this summer have filed a lawsuit against Facebook, Google, and Twitter. The families of Tevin Crosby, Javier Jorge-Reyes, and Juan Ramon Guerrero claim that the social media sites made it too easy for radical groups to engage with the shooter, Omar Mateen. They claim that ISIS’s outreach led to the radicalization of Mateen, and ultimately his decision to attack the gay nightclub.

The lawsuit claims:

They create unique content by combining ISIS postings with advertisements in a way that is specifically targeted at the viewer. Defendants share revenue with ISIS for its content and profit from ISIS postings through advertising revenue.

It continues:

Although defendants have not created the posting, nor have they created the advertisement, defendants have created new unique content by choosing which advertisement to combine with the posting.

Families of Orlando shooting sue @Google @twitter @facebook for allegedly providing material support to ISIS. More w/@Elaine_Quijano: pic.twitter.com/DMiH8bNfqL

— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) December 20, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.