Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has joined a coalition of 12 state attorneys general in calling on Meta Platforms Inc. to explain and correct what they describe as serious failures to prevent the spread of violent terrorist content on Facebook and Instagram.
The joint demand, outlined in a letter sent to Meta’s Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead, follows a lawsuit filed by victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel, who allege that Meta enabled the broadcast and distribution of graphic footage of murders and abductions.
In a statement announcing Missouri’s involvement, Hanaway said the issue extends beyond one tragic event, emphasizing that the unchecked spread of violent material on social media retraumatizes victims and their families, desensitizes viewers and undermines public safety.
“The spread of violent content online doesn’t stop at national borders; it reaches into our homes, our schools, and our communities,” Hanaway said in the provided statement. “That kind of digital violence is unacceptable. When social media companies fail to prevent the glorification and spread of terrorism, they put every community at risk.”
The multistate letter follows allegations from a complaint filed by victims of the October 7 attacks, which killed more than 1,200 civilians, injured thousands more, and resulted in hundreds of kidnappings.
The lawsuit claims that Meta knowingly allowed the distribution of both live and recorded videos depicting the atrocities. The plaintiffs allege that Facebook and Instagram became “an integral part of the terrorist attack,” serving as tools for spreading and glorifying the violence.
One allegation in the complaint involves a terrorist allegedly uploading a video of a victim’s murder directly to her own Facebook page.
In light of these claims, Hanaway and her counterparts from 11 other states — South Carolina, Iowa, Alabama, Indiana, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas — are demanding transparency and accountability from the social media giant.
The coalition’s letter asks Meta to provide its most recent policies on depictions of violence, terrorism, and incitement; details about actions taken to remove violent material and prevent it from resurfacing; and an explanation of any new measures adopted in response to the lawsuit.
The attorneys general requested that Meta respond by Nov. 10.
The letter notes the contradiction between Meta’s public statements and the allegations in the victims’ lawsuit.
Meta’s “Transparency Center” asserts that the company enforces “universal protections for everyone,” including prohibitions on “depictions of kidnappings or abductions” and “high-severity or mid-severity violence.”
However, the attorneys general wrote that, “If the plaintiff-victims’ allegations are true, it is hard to see how Meta has met its own standards.”
Hanaway stated that her office’s participation in the coalition reflects a broader effort to ensure that large technology companies are held responsible when their platforms are used to amplify violence or spread extremist propaganda.
“Violence online fuels violence offline,” she said. “Social media companies cannot hide behind algorithms or vague policies while their platforms are weaponized to glorify terror. Whether it’s in Israel, Missouri, or anywhere else, the same principle applies: Big Tech must do its part to protect the public.”
The attorneys general expressed particular concern that Meta may have failed to act swiftly to remove or block the circulation of graphic material related to the October 7 attacks, despite its publicly stated commitments.
The letter describes the victims’ lawsuit as raising “deeply troubling” allegations that demand immediate attention and corrective action.
Hanaway concluded her statement by reaffirming her commitment to seeking accountability from Meta and other powerful technology firms.
“Our Office will continue to stand with victims, demand accountability, and ensure that technology serves people, not propaganda,” she said. “No corporation should profit from the spread of hate or human suffering.”
The coalition’s request to Meta marks the latest in a series of actions by state attorneys general across the country aimed at scrutinizing how social media companies handle violent, extremist or harmful content.
