TechPolitics

U.S. Supreme Court Deals Final Blow to Corporate Human Rights Accountability

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 11/11/2026, 00:20:24 UTC.

Briefings

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe I that the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) no longer allows plaintiffs to sue technology companies for aiding and abetting human rights abuses, effectively ending the case against Cisco. This decision follows a two-decade weakening of ATS jurisdiction and rejects the Ninth Circuit's 2023 finding of liability for the company's role in building the Golden Shield surveillance system for Falun Gong. The court dismissed the case, stating it cannot create new causes of action for international law violations, leaving Cisco 'off the hook' despite its 2012 Global Human Rights Policy and ongoing 2025 investigations by the Associated Press.

Key points

• The Supreme Court overruled the Ninth Circuit's 2023 holding that Cisco provided essential technical assistance to Falun Gong, ruling that courts cannot create new rights of action to remedy violations of international law.
• The ATS was passed in 1789 and the Cisco case was decided in 2026, resulting in the dismissal of thirteen plaintiffs' claims against Cisco for alleged torture and forced labor.

Context

The case involved thirteen Falun Gong practitioners suing Cisco Systems, Inc. for alleged torture and forced labor at the Golden Shield surveillance system built in the late 1990s. The Supreme Court rejected new causes of action under the ATS, overruling the Ninth Circuit's 2023 decision that allowed the case to proceed. The ruling closes the door on judicially created ATS liability for technology companies aiding and abetting human rights abuses.

Limitations

Evidence covers the 2026 Supreme Court ruling in Cisco Systems, Inc. v. Doe I, including the overruling of the Ninth Circuit's 2023 holding. Coverage is limited to the specific facts of the Cisco case and the Supreme Court's decision; no additional background on the ATS history or other related cases is supplied.

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