OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – More than 3,000 federal lawsuits accusing major technology companies of promoting addictive social media use can continue in court. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an early appeal from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. The decision keeps the consolidated cases before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. Plaintiffs say platform features encouraged compulsive use among children and teenagers. They also link that use to several mental health harms.
The appeal focused on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Meta and TikTok argued that the law protected them from claims tied to platform content and warnings. The appeals court said Section 230 acts as a defense against liability, not immunity from being sued. That finding meant the companies could not seek appellate review at this stage. The court did not decide whether Section 230 could later defeat individual claims. Existing trial court orders therefore remain in effect.
The federal cases include claims from individuals, families, school districts, cities and state governments. Plaintiffs have also named Google and Snap in the broader litigation. They accuse the companies of designing social media products that encouraged repeated engagement by young users. The complaints cite depression, anxiety, body image concerns and other alleged harms. The companies dispute the allegations. About 3,300 related cases involving similar claims are also consolidated in California state court.
Multistate Meta case reaches jury selection
Meta separately faces a federal lawsuit brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is scheduled for Aug. 12 in Oakland, with the trial set to begin Aug. 17. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and using children’s personal information. They also say Facebook and Instagram included features that encouraged compulsive use. Their case further alleges that Meta misled consumers about platform safety and protections for younger users. Meta denies the allegations.
The case includes claims under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and several state consumer protection laws. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey also brought state law claims. A federal judge previously refused to dismiss the case before trial. The court found factual disputes that required further proceedings. Several states have submitted calculations seeking financial penalties if they prevail. Meta has challenged those figures and disputes the legal basis for the requested penalties.
Recent rulings add pressure to youth safety litigation
Separate cases have already produced significant judgments involving social media design and child safety. On Aug. 6, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to provide $567 million for a youth mental health fund and related programs. The ruling also requires safety measures on Facebook and Instagram for five years. A New Mexico jury had imposed a $375 million civil penalty in March. Those two decisions created $942 million in financial exposure for Meta in that state case.
A Los Angeles jury also ruled against Meta and Google in March in a separate social media addiction lawsuit. Jurors found both companies negligent over the design of Instagram and YouTube. They awarded $6 million to a young woman who alleged addiction and mental health harm from childhood platform use. TikTok and Snap settled with that plaintiff before trial under undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have said they will appeal the California verdict.