OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – More than 3,000 federal lawsuits accusing social media companies of designing addictive products can continue after a U.S. appeals court rejected an early challenge. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals turned aside appeals from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. The decision keeps the consolidated litigation before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. Plaintiffs say the platforms harmed children and teenagers through features that encouraged repeated use.
Meta and TikTok based their challenge partly on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. They argued that the law protected them from claims linked to platform content and warnings. The appeals court said Section 230 provides a defense against liability rather than immunity from a lawsuit itself. That distinction prevented the companies from pursuing an immediate appeal. The judges did not decide whether Section 230 could later defeat specific claims as the cases move through federal court.
Families, individuals, school districts, municipalities and state governments have filed claims in the federal proceedings. The broader litigation also names Google and Snap. Plaintiffs accuse the companies of using product designs that encouraged compulsive engagement among younger users. They connect those alleged practices with depression, anxiety, body image concerns and other mental health problems. The companies reject the allegations. California state courts also have about 3,300 consolidated cases involving similar social media addiction claims.
States bring separate child safety case against Meta
Meta also faces a separate federal case brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection begins Aug. 12 in Oakland, while the trial is scheduled to start Aug. 17. The states accuse Meta of collecting and using children’s personal data unlawfully. They also allege that Facebook and Instagram included features that promoted compulsive use. The case further claims that Meta misled consumers about youth safety protections. Meta has denied the allegations and is contesting the claims in court.
The multistate 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 claims under their own state laws. A federal judge previously declined 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 disputes those calculations and challenges the legal basis for the requested penalties.
Other cases produce major judgments and verdicts
Recent court decisions have added to the legal disputes over social media design and youth safety. On Aug. 6, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to provide $567 million for a youth mental health fund and related programs. The order also requires five years of safety measures on Facebook and Instagram. In March, a New Mexico jury imposed a separate $375 million civil penalty. Those decisions created combined financial exposure of $942 million for Meta in the New Mexico case.
A Los Angeles jury also found Meta and Google negligent in March in another social media addiction case. Jurors awarded $6 million to a young woman who alleged that childhood use of Instagram and YouTube caused addiction and mental health harm. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before trial on undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have said they will appeal that verdict. The federal and state proceedings now span several courts and involve thousands of claims tied to youth social media use.