OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – More than 3,000 federal lawsuits accusing social media companies of creating addictive products can proceed after a U.S. appeals court dismissed an early challenge. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected appeals from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. This ruling maintains the consolidated case before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. Plaintiffs argue that the platforms’ features harmed children and teenagers by fostering repeated use.
Meta and TikTok’s challenge was partly based on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. They claimed the law shielded them from claims related to platform content and warnings. The appeals court clarified that Section 230 offers a defense against liability rather than outright immunity from suit. This interpretation prevented an immediate appeal by the companies. The judges did not determine whether Section 230 might later negate specific claims as the federal cases continue to progress.
Claims have been filed by families, individuals, school districts, municipalities, and state authorities in the federal legal process. The wider litigation also implicates Google and Snap. Plaintiffs allege that these companies used product designs to encourage compulsive engagement among younger users, linking these practices to depression, anxiety, body image issues, and other mental health challenges. The companies deny these allegations. Additionally, California state courts hold roughly 3,300 consolidated cases involving similar social media addiction claims.
States initiate separate youth safety lawsuit against Meta
Meta faces a different federal lawsuit filed by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is set to begin on Aug. 12 in Oakland, with the trial scheduled for Aug. 17. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and using minors’ personal data. They further allege that Facebook and Instagram included features encouraging compulsive use and that Meta misled consumers regarding youth safety protections. Meta denies these claims and is fighting the case in court.
This multistate lawsuit involves allegations under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act as well as several state consumer protection statutes. Claims under the laws of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have also been filed. A federal judge previously refused to dismiss the case before trial, citing factual disputes needing further review. Several states have submitted requests for financial penalties if they succeed. Meta contests these calculations and the legal grounds for the sanctions requested.
Legal rulings highlight significant judgments and verdicts
Recent court rulings have intensified the legal battles concerning social media design and youth safety. On Aug. 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a youth mental health fund and related initiatives, along with implementing safety measures on Facebook and Instagram for five years. In March, a separate jury in New Mexico imposed a civil penalty of $375 million. Combined, these rulings present Meta with a potential liability of $942 million in the state’s case.
In another case, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google negligent in March for social media addiction claims. The jury awarded $6 million to a young woman who argued that her childhood use of Instagram and YouTube led to addiction and mental health issues. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before trial on undisclosed terms. Both Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the verdict. These federal and state proceedings now involve multiple courts and thousands of claims related to youth social media use.