New York Attorney General Letitia James is launching an investigation into social media companies in connection with the Buffalo mass shooting, her office announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: The investigation will look into social media companies and other online resources that the alleged shooter might have used to discuss — and amplify — his intentions to carry out the attack that killed 10 and wounded three, according to James' statement.
The details: The investigations will focus on platforms — such as Twitch, 4chan, 8chan and Discord — that may have been used to stream, promote or plan the attack.
What they are saying: “The terror attack in Buffalo has once again revealed the depths and danger of the online forums that spread and promote hate,” James said in a statement.
- “The fact that an individual can post detailed plans to commit such an act of hate without consequence, and then stream it for the world to see is bone-chilling and unfathomable," she added.
The alleged shooter posted footage from the attack in real-time to Twitch, the live-streaming platform owned by Amazon that often features live videos of video gaming.
- Twitch told the New York Times on Sunday it managed to take down the live stream within two minutes after it started.
- However, videos of the shooting have been viewed millions of times, in part because it remains easy to re-upload copies of videos to multiple platforms, Axios previously reported.
Go deeper: What we know about the Buffalo mass shooter.
