OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A United States appellate court has permitted more than 3,000 federal lawsuits regarding alleged social media addiction to move forward. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected challenges from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. These companies contested lower court decisions that allowed the litigation to continue. The court explained that their appeals were filed prematurely. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers oversees the consolidated cases in Oakland.
The case involves a dispute over Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Meta and TikTok argued that this law protected them 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 court’s ruling maintained earlier orders from the federal trial court without deciding if the companies are ultimately liable.
Plaintiffs range from individuals and families to school districts, municipalities, and states. They accuse Meta, Alphabet’s Google, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Snap of designing features that foster compulsive usage among young users. The lawsuits connect these alleged design choices to issues such as depression, anxiety, body image concerns, and other damages. The defendants deny the allegations. The plaintiffs seek damages, penalties, and restitution as part of the federal proceedings. An additional roughly 3,300 cases with similar claims are consolidated in California state court.
Meta’s separate trial progresses in Oakland
The appeals court also dismissed Meta’s request to delay a different case initiated by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is scheduled to start on Aug. 12 in Oakland, with opening statements set for Aug. 18. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and utilizing data from minors. They also claim Facebook and Instagram employed features that encouraged addictive behavior and that Meta misled users about platform safety. Meta has denied the allegations in this multistate lawsuit.
This trial involves claims under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and several state consumer protection laws. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey also have state law claims scheduled for the proceedings. A federal judge previously rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss the case before trial, citing factual disputes requiring further examination. Four states have submitted calculations for substantial penalties if they prevail, while Meta disputes those figures and the legal justifications behind them.
Previous rulings contribute to ongoing social media litigation
The federal lawsuits are part of a series of significant legal actions addressing youth safety and social media platform designs. On Aug. 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to allocate $567 million for a youth mental health fund and related programs. The court also mandated safety measures for Facebook and Instagram for five years. This ruling followed a $375 million civil penalty awarded by a New Mexico jury in March. Combined, these decisions expose Meta to $942 million in financial liabilities in that case.
In March, a Los Angeles jury also found against Meta and Google in a separate social media case. Jurors determined both companies were negligent in designing Instagram and YouTube. They awarded $6 million to a young woman who claimed she became addicted to these platforms as a child and suffered mental health issues. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before trial on undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have announced their intention to appeal the California verdict.