Federal judge allows lawsuits against social media giants over child addiction claims

In a significant legal development, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has ruled against major social media companies, including Alphabet, Meta Platforms, ByteDance, and Snap, rejecting their attempts to dismiss nationwide litigation. The lawsuits, filed on behalf of individual children, allege that these companies illegally enticed and addicted millions of children to their platforms, causing harm to their mental health.

The decision, covering hundreds of lawsuits, allows the litigation to proceed, seeking remedies such as damages and a cessation of the alleged wrongful practices. Judge Rogers dismissed the companies’ immunity claims under the First Amendment and the federal Communications Decency Act, emphasizing that the plaintiffs’ allegations extend beyond third-party content.

This ruling marks a significant victory for the families involved. It comes amid a broader legal landscape where over 140 school districts and 42 states, including the District of Columbia, have also taken legal action against social media platforms for youth addiction issues.

Why does it matter?

This decision aligns with a recent ruling in Los Angeles County, where a judge rejected the use of the First Amendment and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act as shields in lawsuits alleging that platforms cause addiction and mental health issues in young users. The pressure on big tech is growing as concerns escalate. Similar worries about digital platforms’ addictive tactics have now reached Europe, prompting the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee to endorse a report advocating stronger regulations against addictive designs in digital platforms.