A US appeals court has cleared the way for thousands of lawsuits against major social media companies, with users, schools and states accusing them of designing platforms that can harm and keep young people hooked.
A US appeals court has ruled that thousands of lawsuits against Meta, Google, TikTok and Snapchat can move forward over claims that their platforms were designed to be addictive, especially for young users.
The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected an attempt by Meta and TikTok to stop more than 3,000 lawsuits filed in federal court.
The companies had argued that a US law known as Section 230 protected them from the claims. But the court said the law gives companies a defence against liability, rather than immunity from being sued.
That means the cases can now continue.
States, school districts, local authorities and individuals have brought the lawsuits. They accuse social media companies of deliberately designing their platforms to keep young users engaged, with claims linking their use to depression, anxiety, body-image problems and other mental health concerns.
The court also rejected Meta’s request to delay a separate trial brought by 29 state attorneys general.
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The states accuse Meta of collecting and using children’s data, designing its platforms to keep young users hooked and misleading people about their safety.
Lawyers representing thousands of plaintiffs welcomed the decision.
“A trial is how the public finds out what Meta knew about its products’ impact on children,” they said.
Meta did not comment on Monday’s ruling, while TikTok had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The latest decision adds to growing legal pressure on the technology companies.
In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google negligent in a case involving social media addiction and awarded $6 million to a young woman who said she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child.
Both companies have denied the claims and said they would appeal.
With thousands of other cases still pending, Monday’s ruling could mark another major step in the growing legal fight over how social media affects young people.
