OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A significant number of lawsuits accusing major social media platforms of fostering harmful and addictive habits among young users are allowed to move forward in federal courts. On Aug. 10, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an early appeal filed by Meta Platforms and TikTok. This decision keeps over 3,000 consolidated federal cases pending before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. Plaintiffs claim that certain features in these platforms encouraged compulsive usage and contributed to mental health issues in children and teenagers.
Meta and TikTok attempted to secure an immediate appellate review of lower court rulings related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, but the appeals court clarified that Section 230 is a defense against liability, not immunity from lawsuits. Consequently, the court ruled that the companies cannot pursue the appeal at this phase. This ruling does not decide whether Section 230 will ultimately bar any claims, but permits the ongoing federal proceedings to follow the current trial court directives.
The case encompasses allegations from families, individuals, school districts, cities, and state governments. Plaintiffs have also filed suits against Alphabet’s Google, which owns YouTube, and Snap, the operator of Snapchat. The complaints argue that social media platforms incorporated features that encouraged repeated engagement by minors, linking these to issues such as depression, anxiety, body image concerns, and other mental health challenges. The defendants have denied these allegations. Additionally, about 3,300 related cases remain consolidated in California state court.
States file separate suit against Meta
Meta is also facing a distinct federal lawsuit initiated by 29 state attorneys general, with jury selection scheduled for Aug. 12 in Oakland and the trial set to start on Aug. 17. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and using children’s personal data, and they allege that Facebook and Instagram included features that fostered compulsive use among minors. The case also claims Meta misled consumers about safety protections on its platforms, although Meta has denied any misconduct.
Claims have been brought under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and various state consumer protection laws, with California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey also asserting state law claims. A federal judge previously declined to dismiss the case prior to trial, citing unresolved disputes that require further proceedings. Several states have presented calculations seeking financial penalties if they win, though Meta contests those figures and disputes the legal foundation for the claimed amounts.
Major rulings expand youth safety litigation
The overall social media liability cases have already led to notable judgments against technology companies. On Aug. 6, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to allocate $567 million toward a youth mental health fund and related initiatives, also imposing safety requirements on Facebook and Instagram for five years. An earlier March jury verdict in New Mexico awarded a $375 million civil penalty, culminating in a combined financial exposure of $942 million for Meta in that state case.
In another case, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google negligent in designing Instagram and YouTube, respectively, and awarded $6 million to the plaintiff. She claimed her childhood usage of these platforms caused addiction and mental health issues. Before trial, TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff under undisclosed terms, while Meta and Google announced their intent to appeal the verdict.