Social media platforms still facing thousands of user addiction lawsuits after failed appeals | TechCrunch

A United States appellate court has rejected an effort by several major technology firms to throw out numerous lawsuits accusing them of engineering addictive social media applications for children.

The defendants, which include Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat, had sought protection under Section 230, a law that normally shields online platforms from liability regarding user-generated content. The court determined that this defense was raised prematurely, noting that such legal arguments should be evaluated following a full trial rather than during the preliminary phases.\n\nThe decision allows a massive, consolidated federal lawsuit to move forward on behalf of school districts, local governments, and families. This setback for the tech sector comes amid heightened scrutiny over how social media affects minors, highlighted by Meta's recent losses in court cases focused on youth safety.