OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – In a ruling issued on August 10 in Oakland, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an early appeal from Meta Platforms and TikTok, allowing thousands of lawsuits alleging harm caused by social media to move forward in federal court. These cases, consolidated into over 3,000 filings, are currently overseen by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Plaintiffs claim that certain platform features fostered compulsive usage and led to mental health issues among children and teens.
Meta and TikTok attempted to seek immediate appellate review of prior decisions related to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The appellate court clarified that Section 230 serves as a defense against liability, rather than granting immunity from lawsuits. Consequently, the court ruled that the companies could not pursue the appeal at this juncture. This decision does not determine whether Section 230 will ultimately prevent any of the claims but permits the ongoing federal proceedings to continue based on the existing orders from the trial court.
The legal actions include claims from families, individuals, school districts, cities, and state authorities. Additional lawsuits target Alphabet’s Google, owner of YouTube, and Snap, which operates Snapchat. The plaintiffs argue that these social media firms designed features to promote repeated engagement by young users, linking their use to depression, anxiety, body image issues, and other mental health concerns. Both companies have denied the allegations. Moreover, approximately 3,300 related cases are still consolidated in California state court.
States file separate lawsuit against Meta
Meta faces a distinct federal lawsuit initiated by 29 state attorneys general. Jury selection for this case is scheduled for Aug. 12 in Oakland, with the trial set to commence on Aug. 17. The state officials accuse Meta of unlawfully collecting and utilizing children’s personal data. They further allege that Facebook and Instagram included features that encouraged compulsive usage among minors, and that Meta misled consumers about safety measures on its platforms. Meta has denied any misconduct in these claims.
These claims are brought under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act along with various state consumer protection statutes. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey also assert state law claims. A federal judge previously declined to dismiss the case before trial, citing unresolved disputes requiring further proceedings. Several states have submitted calculations seeking monetary penalties should they prevail, but Meta disputes the legal basis and accuracy of these figures.
Notable rulings impact youth safety cases
The broader legal landscape surrounding social media and youth health has seen significant decisions against tech giants. On August 6, a judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to allocate $567 million toward a youth mental health fund and related initiatives. The order also mandated safety measures on Facebook and Instagram for a five-year period. Earlier, a New Mexico jury imposed a $375 million civil penalty in March. These rulings together expose Meta to a combined financial liability of $942 million in the state litigation.
Additionally, in a separate case in Los Angeles, a jury found Meta and Google negligent in the design of Instagram and YouTube, respectively. The jury awarded $6 million to the plaintiff, who claimed that early exposure to these platforms contributed to her addiction and mental health problems. TikTok and Snap reached settlements with her before the case went to trial, under terms that remain undisclosed. Meta and Google have announced plans to appeal the verdict.