An article summarized by CBS News:
Thousands of lawsuits accusing social media companies of designing platforms that encourage addictive use can move forward after a federal appeals court rejected an appeal from Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok. The Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court decision that allowed the cases to proceed, rejecting the companies’ argument that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects them from liability.
The companies argued that Section 230, which generally shields online platforms from liability for content posted by users, should also prevent lawsuits claiming they failed to warn users about the addictive nature of social media. The appeals court disagreed, with Circuit Judge Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen writing that the law does not provide the broad immunity the companies were seeking.
The ruling comes amid a growing wave of litigation alleging that social media platforms contribute to addictive behavior and mental-health problems, particularly among young people. In March, Meta and YouTube were found legally liable in a separate case involving harmful and addictive products, with a jury awarding the lead plaintiff $6 million. TikTok and Snap were originally defendants in that case but settled before trial.
