Technology 10 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
US Appeals Court Allows Thousands of Lawsuits Against Tech Giants Over Social Media Addiction to Proceed
A U.S. appeals court has ruled that Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap must face thousands of lawsuits alleging their platforms are designed to be addictive to young users. The court rejected the tech companies' attempt to use Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act as a blanket immunity defense, stating the appeal was premature. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/us-court-rules-meta-other-tech-firms-must-face-thousands-of-lawsuits-over-social-media-addiction-5553560
Thousands of lawsuits accusing major social media companies of designing addictive platforms for young users can move forward, a U.S. appeals court has decided. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected appeals from Meta, TikTok, Alphabet’s Google, and Snap, ruling that they had appealed too early.
The tech firms had argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally protects online platforms from liability for user-generated content, also shields them from claims that their products are intentionally addictive. However, the court clarified that Section 230 offers a defense against liability, not complete immunity from lawsuits, making the appeal premature.
In a separate but related decision, the court also denied Meta’s request to delay a trial set to begin this week. This trial, brought by 29 state attorneys general, alleges Meta illegally collected children’s data, designed its platforms to be addictive, and misled users about safety.
The legal battles come amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on youth mental health. Lawsuits filed by individuals, parents, school districts, and municipalities claim that these platforms have contributed to rising rates of depression, anxiety, and body image issues among young people.
These cases, consolidated before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, seek damages and penalties. Recent trials have seen mixed but significant outcomes, including a jury finding Meta and Google negligent in a California case and a New Mexico judge ordering Meta to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund. The companies maintain their platforms are safe and deny the allegations, with plans to appeal previous rulings.