DES MOINES, IOWA (October 8, 2025) — Attorney General Brenna Bird joined a coalition of twelve states urging Meta to answer questions about the seemingly-unfettered distribution of graphic livestreams and videos on Facebook and Instagram of the violent terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
In light of a lawsuit against Meta by victims of the heinous attacks, alleging in part that Meta allowed Hamas terrorists to upload and circulate horrific footage and “enabled the distribution of video footage of the atrocities of October 7 and otherwise failed to act by removing such video footage,” the attorneys-general ask Meta to provide the following information by November 10, 2025:
- Meta’s latest policy on depictions of violence and incitement and any other policies relevant to depictions of violence or terrorism.
- A description of any remedial efforts Meta has made after the October 7 attack or in response to the plaintiff-victims’ lawsuit.
- Any other steps Meta has taken to prevent illegal violence from being displayed on Meta’s platforms.
“Social media companies like Meta should not profit from or promote terrorism in any form,” said AG Bird.
“The mainstream distribution of videos of the unspeakable atrocities against Israel on that fateful day two years ago violate the very standards Meta claims to uphold. We need to know what Meta has done and will do to make sure this does not happen again.”
Iowa joined the South Carolina-led letter with Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.
Read the full letter here.
