The Ninth Circuit’s Ruling: 2,400 Addiction Lawsuits Against Tech Giants Proceed
The Ninth Circuit has ruled that 2,400 addiction-related lawsuits against Meta (Facebook), Google, TikTok, and Snap can proceed without immediately addressing the tech companies’ argument regarding Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Background
Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap had requested clarification on whether Section 230, a 1996 law, extends to product design decisions and content moderation practices. The Ninth Circuit, however, has decided that it will address this question after the trials, rather than before.
Upcoming Trials
- Meta Faces Multiple Lawsuits: Meta is facing four lawsuits from different states over an eight-day period.
- Trial Date: Jury selection for the first trial in Oakland, California, begins on Wednesday, August 18th.
- Denial of Stay: The Ninth Circuit has refused to pause the trial while an appeal is pending, rendering moot Meta’s request for an emergency stay.
Key Points:
- No Immediate Ruling on Section 230: The court emphasized that it lacks jurisdiction to hear the appeal at this stage as trials are ongoing.
- Broad Interpretation of Section 230: The judges suggested that Congress knows how to provide immunity from suit if that’s what it intends, implying a narrow interpretation of Section 230.
- Focus on Product Features: The states’ arguments center around product features unrelated to user-generated content.
What This Means:
The order of events has shifted, with trials happening first and the Section 230 appeal to come later. This ruling allows the lawsuits to proceed while setting the stage for a potential future decision on the scope of Section 230’s protection.