Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snapchat are facing numerous lawsuits regarding claims of social media addiction
A US appeals court has permitted the advancement of thousands of lawsuits against Meta Platforms, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat concerning claims that these companies intentionally crafted their platforms to be addictive for young users.
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, located in San Francisco, on Monday denied an appeal from Meta and TikTok that aimed to overturn a lower court ruling mandating that they confront over 3,000 lawsuits filed in federal court.
The appeals court determined that the companies had contested the lower court’s ruling prematurely, concluding that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act does not grant immunity from lawsuits but rather serves as a defense against liability.
The companies contended that Section 230, which typically safeguards online platforms from legal actions related to user-posted content, also provided them with protection against lawsuits claiming they neglected to inform users about the addictive qualities of their products.
Meta and TikTok contended that they ought to have the opportunity to contest the lower court’s dismissal of their Section 230 defense prior to the conclusion of the litigation. However, the appeals court stated that the parties could not pursue such an appeal at this stage.
The court also denied Meta’s request to postpone a trial set to commence on Wednesday in a case initiated by 29 state attorneys general.
The states allege that Meta has unlawfully gathered and utilized data from children, crafted its platforms to captivate young users, and misled consumers regarding the safety of its services.
The ruling follows a recent decision by a New Mexico judge, who determined that Meta had established a public nuisance within the state. The judge ordered the company to contribute $567 million to a fund aimed at supporting teen mental health, in addition to requiring the implementation of measures to enhance youth safety.
Meta chose not to provide a remark regarding Monday’s ruling, and TikTok has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Attorneys representing numerous school districts and individuals pursuing legal action against the technology companies stated that the ruling would enable the states’ trial to move forward, along with a separate trial involving school districts set for February.
The lawsuits, initiated by states, municipalities, school districts, parents, and individuals, claim that social media companies deliberately crafted their platforms to maintain the engagement of young users, leading to issues such as depression, anxiety, body-image concerns, and a broader mental health crisis among youth.
The federal cases have been brought together under the jurisdiction of US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California. Plaintiffs are pursuing damages, penalties, and restitution from the companies.
Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap are currently dealing with numerous similar lawsuits in state courts, with approximately 3,300 cases consolidated in California.
The companies have already experienced setbacks in related litigation. In March, a jury in Los Angeles determined that Meta and Google were negligent in their design of platforms that negatively impacted young individuals, resulting in a $6 million award to a young woman who claimed she developed an addiction to Instagram and YouTube during her childhood.
Meta has encountered legal challenges in New Mexico as well. After a previous jury ruling that mandated the company to pay $375 million for deceiving consumers regarding the safety of its platforms, a judge subsequently determined that Meta had established a public nuisance and mandated an extra payment of $567 million for youth mental health initiatives.
Meta and Google have refuted the allegations and announced their intention to appeal the rulings.
