US APPEALS COURT RULES AGAINST HAMAS VICTIMS IN THEIR SUIT AGAINST FACEBOOK

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has held that US victims of the Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization, Hamas, could not maintain a civil anti-terrorism suit against the Internet service provider, Facebook. The plaintiffs had alleged that Facebook, an online social network platform and communications service, had unlawfully assisted Hamas in attacks committed against them. It allowed its users to support violence against American civilians in Israel, and openly maintained pages for Hamas leaders and spokesmen.

The District Court (EDNY) dismissed the plaintiffs' claims, pursuant to a Federal law that bars civil liability for claims against an Internet service provider, See 430 USC §230(c)(1), when it is publishing information supplied and provided by another. The Second Circuit  agreed, and further ruled that there was no diversity jurisdiction to support the action.
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Research Note: Stuart Force et al vs. Facebook, Inc., Case No.: 18-397 (2nd Cir. 2019).  430 USC §230(c)(1):

 
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