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.
The controversy partly revolves around Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Meta and TikTok contended that the law protected them from claims related to warnings about allegedly addictive platforms. The appeals court clarified that Section 230 offers a defense against liability, not complete immunity from lawsuits. This distinction prevented an immediate appeal at this phase. The decision upheld earlier orders from the federal trial court without ruling on whether the companies will ultimately be held liable.
Plaintiffs consist of individuals, families, school districts, municipalities, and states. They accuse Meta, Alphabet’s Google, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Snap of designing features that promoted compulsive usage among young users. These lawsuits link such design choices to issues like depression, anxiety, body image concerns, and other damages. The companies have denied these allegations. The plaintiffs seek damages, penalties, and restitution as part of the federal case. Additionally, around 3,300 similar cases are consolidated in California state court involving comparable claims.
Meta’s separate trial progresses in Oakland
The appeals court also dismissed Meta’s plea to delay a different case brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is set to begin on Aug. 12 in Oakland, with opening statements scheduled for Aug. 18. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and using data from minors. They also allege that Facebook and Instagram employed features encouraging compulsive behavior and that Meta misled users regarding platform safety. Meta has denied the accusations in this multistate case.
This trial involves claims under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act along with several state consumer protection statutes. States such as California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have their own claims scheduled for trial. 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 seeking substantial penalties if they succeed, while Meta challenges both those figures and their legal grounds.
Other legal rulings contribute to social media legal battles
These federal lawsuits follow several key court decisions concerning youth safety and social media platform design. On Aug. 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a youth mental health fund and related initiatives. The court also mandated safety measures for Facebook and Instagram over a five-year period. This ruling came after a New Mexico jury imposed a $375 million civil penalty in March. The combined financial exposure for Meta in this case totals $942 million.
In another case, a Los Angeles jury found against Meta and Google in March, awarding $6 million to a young woman. Jurors concluded that both companies were negligent in designing Instagram and YouTube and that the plaintiff, who claimed addiction as a child, suffered mental health issues. TikTok and Snap settled with her before the trial on undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the California verdict.
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