Meta, TikTok Face Thousands of Social Media Addiction Lawsuits
A US appeals court has authorized thousands of lawsuits against Meta Platforms, TikTok, Google, and Snapchat over claims that their social media platforms were intended to keep young users engaged.
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco denied an appeal from Meta and TikTok that aimed to reverse a lower court ruling permitting over 3,000 federal lawsuits to move forward. As reported by Reuters, the court indicated that the firms had contested the ruling too early.
The firms had depended on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, claiming that the statute shields online platforms from legal actions related to user-generated content. They also argued that the provision ought to shield them from allegations that they did not inform users about the potentially addictive characteristics of their services.
The appeals court, nonetheless, stated that Section 230 offers a defense against liability instead of immunity from lawsuits. This implies that the businesses are unable to employ the clause at this point to prevent the legal proceedings from advancing.
The court independently denied Meta's appeal to delay a trial concerning 29 US state attorneys general. The states claim that Meta illegally gathered data from minors, created its platforms to promote extended usage by youth, and deceived users regarding safety.
Also Read: AMD to Acquire Taalas to Strengthen AI Inference Capabilities
The decision follows a New Mexico judge's ruling that Meta must contribute $567 million to a fund for teen mental health, determining that the company had caused a public nuisance in the state. Meta announced it plans to contest that decision.
Also Read: Meta to Face Another High-Stakes Trial in US
The extensive federal lawsuits encompass cases initiated by parents, school districts, states, and individuals. Approximately 3,300 comparable cases have also been combined in California state court.
Also Read: Safe Harbor to Acquire MarineMax in $1.5 Billion Deal
In March, a jury in Los Angeles determined that Meta and Google were negligent in a case regarding claims of harm to young users and granted $6 million to a woman who stated that she developed an addiction to Instagram and YouTube during her childhood. The allegations have been denied by both companies.