OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A U.S. appeals court has allowed more than 3,000 federal lawsuits over alleged social media addiction to proceed. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected appeals from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. The companies challenged lower court orders that kept the litigation moving. The appeals court said they sought review too early. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers oversees the consolidated federal proceedings in Oakland.
This legal dispute mainly revolves around Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Meta and TikTok contended that this law offered protection from claims related to warnings about their platforms’ alleged addictive qualities. The appeals court clarified that Section 230 offers a defense against liability, not complete immunity from lawsuits. This interpretation prevented an immediate appeal at this stage. The ruling upheld earlier orders from the federal trial court but did not determine whether the companies are ultimately liable.
The plaintiffs include individuals, families, school districts, municipalities, and states. They accuse Meta, Alphabet’s Google, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Snap of designing products that promote compulsive usage among youth. The lawsuits connect these design choices to issues such as depression, anxiety, body image concerns, and other harms. The companies have denied these allegations. The plaintiffs seek damages, penalties, and restitution in the federal cases. Additionally, approximately 3,300 other cases with similar claims are consolidated in California state court.
Meta’s separate trial advances in Oakland
The appeals court also dismissed Meta’s request to delay a distinct case brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is set to start on Aug. 12 in Oakland, with opening statements scheduled for Aug. 18. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and exploiting children’s data. They also allege Facebook and Instagram employed features that foster compulsive use and that Meta misled users regarding platform safety. Meta has refuted these claims in the multistate lawsuit.
This trial involves allegations under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act along with several state consumer protection statutes. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey also have state law claims scheduled for the trial. A federal judge previously dismissed Meta’s attempt to dismiss the case before trial, citing factual disputes requiring further examination. Four states have presented calculations seeking significant penalties if they prevail, though Meta has challenged both these calculations and their legal foundation.
Previous rulings contribute to the wave of social media litigation
These federal lawsuits follow several key legal actions addressing youth safety and social media platform design. On Aug. 6, a New Mexico judge mandated Meta to allocate $567 million to a youth mental health fund and related initiatives. The court also ordered safety measures for Facebook and Instagram to remain in effect for five years. This decision came after a New Mexico jury imposed a $375 million civil penalty in March. Combined, these rulings expose Meta to a potential financial liability of $942 million in that case.
Furthermore, a Los Angeles jury ruled against Meta and Google in March in a separate social media-related case. Jurors found both companies negligent regarding the design of Instagram and YouTube, awarding $6 million to a young woman. She claimed that she became addicted to the platforms as a child and suffered mental health issues. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before the trial on undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have indicated they will appeal the California verdict.