OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A federal appeals court in the United States has permitted more than 3,000 lawsuits concerning alleged social media addiction to move forward. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit dismissed appeals from Meta Platforms and TikTok on August 10. These companies challenged orders from lower courts that allowed the legal proceedings to continue, but the appellate court deemed their appeals premature. The consolidated federal case is under the supervision of U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland.
A key point in the dispute involves Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Meta and TikTok argued that this law shields them from claims related to warnings about the addictive nature of their platforms. However, the appeals court clarified that Section 230 provides a defense against liability, not immunity from lawsuits. This distinction was crucial in denying an immediate appeal at this stage. The court’s decision upheld earlier orders from the federal trial court without determining whether the companies are ultimately liable.
The plaintiffs include individuals, families, school districts, municipalities, and states. They accuse Meta, Google (a subsidiary of Alphabet), ByteDance’s TikTok, and Snap of designing features that promote compulsive usage among young users. These lawsuits claim that such design choices are linked to depression, anxiety, body image issues, and other harms. The defendants have denied these allegations. The plaintiffs are seeking damages, penalties, and restitution through the federal case. Additionally, about 3,300 similar cases with comparable claims are consolidated in California state court.
Meta’s separate trial advances in Oakland
The appellate court also rejected Meta’s attempt to delay a separate case brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is scheduled to commence on August 12 in Oakland, with opening statements planned for August 18. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and exploiting children’s data. They also claim that Facebook and Instagram used features that encouraged addictive use and that Meta misled consumers regarding platform safety. Meta has denied these allegations in the multi-state case.
This trial involves claims under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act along with multiple state consumer protection statutes. States including California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have also filed claims under their respective laws, with proceedings scheduled accordingly. A federal judge previously dismissed Meta’s attempt to terminate the case before trial, citing factual disputes that require further examination. Four states have submitted calculations seeking substantial penalties if they succeed, while Meta contests both those calculations and their legal basis.
Historical rulings contribute to social media litigation surge
These federal cases follow several significant legal actions related to youth safety and platform design. On August 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $567 million for a youth mental health fund and related programs, and imposed safety measures on Facebook and Instagram for five years. This ruling followed a $375 million civil penalty imposed by a New Mexico jury in March. The combined financial risk for Meta in this case amounts to $942 million.
In another case, a Los Angeles jury found against Meta and Google in March, awarding $6 million to a young woman who claimed she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child and suffered mental health problems. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before trial on undisclosed terms. Both Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the California verdict.