U.S. Court dismisses appeals filed by Meta and TikTok

Thousands of lawsuits accusing Meta and TikTok and other companies of designing addictive and harmful platforms

Thousands of lawsuits accusing social media companies of designing addictive and harmful platforms can move forward after a U.S. appeals court rejected attempts by Meta Platforms and TikTok parent ByteDance to halt the cases.

A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday dismissed appeals filed by Meta and TikTok, ruling that the companies had sought appellate review too early in the litigation.

The companies had argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shielded them from lawsuits over content posted by users. However, the appeals court rejected the claim that the law provides blanket immunity from being sued.

In a 24-page opinion, Judge Jacqueline Nguyen said Section 230 provides a defense against liability rather than immunity from facing a lawsuit.

The ruling represents a setback for major social media companies, which have so far avoided extensive federal regulatory action over alleged harms linked to their platforms. The lawsuits could expose the companies to significant financial penalties if courts ultimately find them liable.

Thousands of cases accuse Meta and other social media platforms of intentionally designing products in ways that can harm young users. Allegations include making parental controls easier to bypass and allowing minors to access exploitative or harmful content.

In March, a jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and liable for harms experienced by users of their platforms. The jury awarded $3 million to a young woman who said her social media addiction contributed to depression, anxiety and body dysmorphia, and recommended another $3 million in punitive damages.

TikTok and Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, reached a settlement with the plaintiff before the trial began.

The appeals court on Monday also rejected Meta’s request to delay a separate trial involving allegations that the company used children’s data to keep them engaged on its platform.

That trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday.