New York Court of Appeals hears arguments on Meta's liability in Buffalo shooting

In a two-hour hearing, the New York Court of Appeals considered claims that Meta and similar companies should be liable for the 2022 Buffalo supermarket shooting that left 10 dead. Plaintiffs' lawyers pointed to the shooter’s diary, which described loneliness and heavy consumption of alt-right material, arguing that his social-media addiction played a role in the attack. Several judges expressed doubt, suggesting the extremist content itself, not mere addiction, drove the violence and noting Section 230 shields platforms from liability for user-posted material.

Meta’s attorney argued that the lawsuit focuses on the specific hateful content, not the platform’s design, and referenced past First Amendment precedents rejecting similar claims against other media. The court did not render a decision after the arguments. The shooter remains incarcerated on state and federal charges, with a federal trial scheduled for October.