Meta can't stop states' $1.4 trillion lawsuit from going to trial

Key Points:

• A US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit panel unanimously rejected Meta and TikTok's attempt to claim legal immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act in thousands of social media addiction lawsuits, allowing trials to proceed.
• The lawsuits, led by state attorneys general including California, allege that Meta and others designed platforms to induce addictive use, especially harming children and adolescents, and deceived the public about platform safety.
• The appeals court clarified that Section 230 provides a defense against liability but does not grant immunity from facing lawsuits or trials, emphasizing that Congress has not explicitly provided such immunity.
• A major trial against Meta is set to begin in August 2024, with claims involving consumer protection violations and personal injury, while related cases involve other companies like Google and Snapchat in multidistrict litigation.
• Separately, Meta was ordered by a New Mexico state court to pay over $900 million for youth mental health care and civil penalties related to harms caused by its social media platforms.