New York Appeals Court Rules Social Media Companies Immune in Buffalo Shooting Case

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A New York state appeals court ruled on Friday that social media companies including Meta Platforms, Google, and Reddit cannot be held liable for their role in a racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, where 10 Black people were killed in 2022. The Appellate Division reversed a lower court ruling, citing federal laws that protect online platforms from legal action related to user-generated content.

The case arose from the actions of Payton Gendron, who carried out the attack at Tops Friendly Markets on May 14, 2022. Relatives of victims and witnesses claimed that social media algorithms contributed to Gendron’s radicalization and addiction to hate-filled content. Despite these assertions, the court found that holding social media companies accountable would contradict the purpose of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which is designed to foster free expression online.

Justice Stephen Lindley, writing for the majority, remarked that liability should not be imposed because it could threaten the structure of the Internet itself, saying, “Because social media companies that sort and display content would be subject to liability for every untruthful statement made on their platforms… the Internet would over time devolve into mere message boards.”

Two justices dissented, arguing that the platforms intentionally pushed content that kept users engaged, whether benign or extremist, which undermined the spirit of robust online communication.

Payton Gendron has pleaded guilty to state charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. He faces additional federal charges with court proceedings scheduled to start in August 2026.

Legal representatives for the plaintiffs did not respond to immediate requests for comment. However, Kristen Elmore-Garcia, one of the attorneys involved, expressed intentions to appeal the decision, stating, “It’s frustrating, but it’s not the end of the fight.”