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9th Circuit lets thousands of addiction lawsuits proceed against platforms

The 9th Circuit rejected an appeal of a ruling that leaves defendants facing more than 3,000 suits, and it denied a request to postpone a trial tied to alleged children data misuse.

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A U.S. appeals court cleared the way for thousands of lawsuits alleging social media platforms were designed to be addictive to young users, according to Insurance Journal. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a bid by defendants including Meta Platforms, Alphabet’s Google, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Snap’s Snapchat to undo a lower court ruling that requires them to face more than 3,000 lawsuits filed in federal court.

The court ruled that the companies’ appeal was premature, and it also said Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides a defense to liability rather than an immunity from lawsuits. The decision addressed arguments that Section 230 bars suits claiming platforms failed to warn the public about the addictive nature of their products.

The 9th Circuit also denied Meta’s request to postpone a trial set to begin Wednesday in a case brought by 29 state attorneys general. In that suit, the attorneys general allege the company illegally collected and used children’s data, designed its platforms to keep young users hooked, and misled consumers about safety.

The lawsuits, filed by states, municipalities, school districts, and individuals, seek damages, penalties, and restitution. They allege the platforms intentionally addicted young users and contributed to rising depression, anxiety, and body image issues and a broader youth mental health crisis.

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