OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A U.S. appeals court has permitted more than 3,000 federal lawsuits alleging social media addiction to move forward. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected appeals from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. The companies challenged the lower court’s orders that kept the litigation active, but the appeals court determined they sought review prematurely. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers oversees the consolidated federal proceedings in Oakland.
The case hinges partly on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Meta and TikTok contended that this law protected them from claims related to warnings about their platforms’ alleged addictiveness. The appeals court clarified that Section 230 offers a defense against liability, not immunity from lawsuits. This interpretation prevented an immediate appeal at this stage. The decision maintained earlier rulings from the federal trial court, without addressing whether the companies are ultimately liable.
The plaintiffs comprise individuals, families, school districts, municipalities, and states. They accuse Meta, Alphabet’s Google, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Snap of designing products that fostered compulsive engagement among youth. The lawsuits connect these design choices to issues like depression, anxiety, body image concerns, and other harms. The defendants dispute these allegations. Plaintiffs are seeking damages, penalties, and restitution in federal court. Additionally, approximately 3,300 other similar cases have been consolidated in California state court.
Meta faces separate trial in Oakland as proceedings continue
The appeals court also dismissed Meta’s attempt to delay a different case brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is set to commence on Aug. 12 in Oakland, with opening statements scheduled for Aug. 18. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and using children’s data, and allege Facebook and Instagram employed features that promoted compulsive usage while Meta misled consumers about platform safety. Meta has denied these claims in the multistate lawsuit.
This trial features allegations under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act along with various state consumer protection statutes. Claims from California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey under their respective state laws are also part of the proceedings. A federal judge previously rejected Meta’s motion to dismiss the case, citing factual disputes that require further investigation. Four states have presented calculations seeking significant penalties if they prevail, while Meta challenges those figures and their legal foundation.
Past rulings contribute to social media legal challenges
These federal cases follow several landmark court decisions involving youth safety and social media platform design. On Aug. 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to allocate $567 million for a youth mental health fund and related initiatives. The court also mandated safety measures for Facebook and Instagram for five years. This ruling came after a New Mexico jury imposed a $375 million civil penalty in March. In total, these rulings expose Meta to $942 million in potential liabilities in that case.
In March, a Los Angeles jury also found Meta and Google negligent in a separate social media case. Jurors awarded $6 million to a young woman who claimed she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child, resulting in mental health issues. TikTok and Snap reached settlement agreements with the plaintiff before trial on undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the California verdict.