The US Court of Appeals has allowed the continuation of more than 3000 lawsuits against Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat. The lawsuits involve allegations of creating addiction to social media among children and teenagers.
The lawsuits were filed by states, municipalities, school districts, and individuals who claim that social media platforms intentionally engage youth in prolonged use of the platforms, leading to increased depression, anxiety, and body perception issues among teenagers. Meta and TikTok sought to challenge the court’s decision, insisting on protection under an article that typically excludes liability for user-generated content. However, the appellate court decided that this reasoning was premature, and the legal proceedings would continue.
Besides, the court rejected Meta’s request to postpone another legal proceeding in a lawsuit involving 29 state attorneys general over the illegal collection of children’s data. The companies also continue to face other cases: in Los Angeles, a jury awarded $6 million in compensation to a girl who claimed addiction to Instagram and YouTube, while in New Mexico, Meta was ordered to pay $567 million to a teen mental health fund.
These legal battles reflect growing concerns about the impact of social media on the mental health of young people. Experts believe that these cases could set a precedent for regulating tech platforms and their responsibilities to users.
