OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – Federal court proceedings continue for thousands of lawsuits accusing major social media firms of promoting harmful, addictive behaviors among young users. On Aug. 10, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an early appeal filed by Meta Platforms and TikTok. This ruling leaves over 3,000 consolidated cases before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. The plaintiffs claim that certain platform features fostered compulsive engagement and contributed to mental health issues among children and teenagers.
Meta and TikTok attempted to seek an immediate appeal of rulings from lower courts involving Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The appellate court clarified that Section 230 functions as a defense to liability rather than granting immunity from lawsuits. Consequently, the court determined that the companies could not move forward with the appeal at this stage. This decision, however, does not decide whether Section 230 will ultimately dismiss any of the claims. Instead, it permits the ongoing federal litigation to proceed under the current orders from the trial court.
The ongoing cases encompass allegations from families, individuals, school districts, cities, and state authorities. Additionally, plaintiffs have filed suits against Google, owned by Alphabet, and Snap, which operates Snapchat. They argue that these social media giants designed features that encouraged repeated use among young people. The complaints link these features to depression, anxiety, issues with body image, and other mental health damages. The defendants have denied the allegations. Moreover, roughly 3,300 related cases remain grouped in California state court.
States file separate lawsuit against Meta
Meta is also facing a distinct federal lawsuit initiated by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is set for Aug. 12 in Oakland, with the trial scheduled to commence on Aug. 17. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and utilizing children’s personal data. They further allege that Facebook and Instagram incorporated features that promoted compulsive use among minors. The lawsuit also claims Meta misled consumers regarding safety protections on its platforms. Meta has denied any wrongdoing.
The claims brought by the states are based on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act as well as state consumer protection laws. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have also filed state law claims in this case. Previously, a federal judge declined to dismiss the case before trial, citing unresolved disputes. Several states have submitted calculations for potential financial penalties if they win. Meta has challenged those figures and questioned the legal foundation of the amounts requested.
Major decisions expand youth safety litigation
Broader legal actions against social media platforms have already led to significant rulings. On Aug. 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a youth mental health fund and related initiatives. The order also mandated safety measures for Facebook and Instagram for a period of five years. In March, a New Mexico jury had previously imposed a $375 million civil penalty. Those rulings combined create a total financial exposure of $942 million for Meta within the state litigation.
In another case, a jury in Los Angeles found against Meta and Google in March, in a separate lawsuit related to social media addiction. Jurors concluded that the companies were negligent in designing Instagram and YouTube, awarding $6 million to the plaintiff, who claimed that use of these platforms during childhood caused addiction and mental health issues. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before the trial, under undisclosed terms. Both Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the verdict.