Meta, TikTok, Google Must Face 3,000+ Addiction Lawsuits

Meta, TikTok, Google and Snap face over 3,000 lawsuits alleging the tech giants designed their platforms to addict young users, according to a ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The federal appeals court rejected the companies' attempt to immediately appeal an earlier decision allowing the litigation to proceed, stating that the appeal came too early in the legal process.

The lawsuits, filed by states, municipalities, school districts and individuals, argue that the companies intentionally created features to keep young users engaged, leading to mental health issues like depression, anxiety and body-image concerns. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a decades-old federal law, generally shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content.

However, the appeals court ruled that Section 230 provides a defense against liability, not immunity from lawsuits, allowing the cases to move forward. Meta lost another legal battle when the appeals court declined to delay a separate trial set to begin, brought by 29 state attorneys general alleging Meta illegally collected and used children's data, designed platforms to keep young users engaged, and misled consumers about their safety.

The companies are also facing numerous similar lawsuits in state court. In a previous trial, a Los Angeles jury awarded $6 million to a woman who claimed she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child. Meta and Google have denied wrongdoing in those cases and plan to appeal.