A new report from the Anti‑Defamation League says Cloudflare is still supplying the behind‑the‑scenes infrastructure that keeps a notorious gore forum online, a site the group says was used by the 16‑year‑old who attacked Evergreen High School. The ADL argues that these forums have been linked to multiple real‑world attacks and that Cloudflare could seriously disrupt them by cutting off services. For families and officials in Jefferson County, that turns a seemingly arcane internet policy debate into a very local public safety question.
ADL report: Cloudflare's role in sustaining gore forums
A report by the Anti‑Defamation League says Cloudflare provides DNS, CDN and security services to WatchPeopleDie and links users of that forum to at least six violent attacks that killed 12 people and injured 134. The ADL calls on Cloudflare to change its policies and withdraw technical support for sites whose primary purpose is distributing graphic violence, arguing that cutting off core infrastructure would substantially disrupt those networks.
Local connection: the Evergreen shooting
As first reported by The Denver Post, the student who carried out the Sept. 10, 2025, attack at Evergreen High School had joined an online gore forum months before the shooting. The attack injured two students, and the shooter later died by suicide. The Post's reporting aligns with the ADL's findings, noting that investigators say the attacker commented on posts about prior mass shootings while active on the forum.
Cloudflare's defense and past exceptions
In a company blog post, Cloudflare says it acts as a neutral "pass‑through" provider and that its security services "most closely resemble Internet utilities" rather than content hosts. The post adds, "Despite what some may claim, we are not free speech absolutists." Cloudflare points to rare previous decisions to cut protections for fringe sites, including 8chan in 2019 and Kiwi Farms in 2022, while arguing that most content moderation should happen through legal processes or by web hosting companies rather than infrastructure providers.
Local officials: online radicalization mattered
Jefferson County officials have said the Evergreen attacker "had been radicalized by some extremist network" and arrived at school with "quite a bit of ammunition," according to local coverage. Denver7 quoted Jefferson County public information officer Jacki Kelley describing the investigation and praising staff and students whose lockdown actions limited further harm.
Legal risks and investor pressure
The ADL urged Cloudflare to update its policies, warning of reputational and potential legal exposure if the company continues to provide core services to high‑risk sites. Investors, including JLens, have said they will withhold votes for select Cloudflare directors over the issue, StreetInsider reported, adding pressure on the company ahead of its annual meeting.
What to watch next
Cloudflare did not immediately return requests for comment, The Denver Post reported. The ADL study is likely to spur further questions from regulators, investors, and local communities about whether infrastructure firms should intervene in cases like this. We will be watching for any formal response from Cloudflare and for signs that lawmakers or courts might pick up the ADL's recommendations.
