OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A large number of lawsuits accusing social media giants of fostering harmful and addictive behaviors among young people can proceed in federal court. On Aug. 10, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an early appeal by Meta Platforms and TikTok. This decision leaves over 3,000 consolidated federal cases pending before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. The plaintiffs claim that platform features encouraged compulsive usage and contributed to mental health issues in children and teenagers.
Meta and TikTok had sought an immediate appeal of lower court rulings involving Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The appeals court clarified that Section 230 serves as a defense against liability, not immunity from lawsuits. Consequently, the court ruled that the companies could not pursue the appeal at this stage. The decision does not determine whether Section 230 will ultimately block the claims. Instead, it allows the federal cases to move forward based on existing trial court orders.
The lawsuit encompasses claims from families, individuals, schools, cities, and state governments. Plaintiffs have also sued Alphabet’s Google, which owns YouTube, and Snap, the operator of Snapchat. They argue that these social media companies created features that encouraged repeated engagement by young users. The complaints highlight alleged connections to depression, anxiety, body image issues, and other mental health problems. The companies have denied the allegations. Additionally, about 3,300 related cases are still consolidated in California state court.
States file separate legal action against Meta
Meta faces a different federal lawsuit brought by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection is set for Aug. 12 in Oakland. The trial is scheduled to start on Aug. 17. The states accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and using children’s personal data. They also claim Facebook and Instagram had features that promoted compulsive use among minors. The case includes allegations that Meta misled consumers about safety protections on its platforms. Meta has denied any wrongdoing.
The states’ claims are based on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and state consumer protection laws. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey have also filed state law claims. A federal judge previously declined to dismiss the case before trial, citing unresolved disputes. Several states have presented calculations seeking financial penalties if they win. Meta has challenged those figures and the legal basis for the requested amounts.
Broader rulings bolster youth safety cases
This ongoing social media litigation has already led to significant rulings against tech firms. On Aug. 6, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million for a youth mental health fund and related programs. The ruling also imposed safety measures on Facebook and Instagram for five years. In March, a New Mexico jury had previously awarded a $375 million civil penalty. These rulings combined create a total financial exposure of $942 million for Meta in the state case.
In another case, a Los Angeles jury decided against Meta and Google in March, in a separate lawsuit over social media addiction. Jurors found the companies negligent in designing Instagram and YouTube. They awarded $6 million to the plaintiff, who claimed childhood use of these platforms led to addiction and mental health harm. TikTok and Snap settled with the plaintiff before trial under undisclosed terms. Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the verdict.