Legal Shield in Social Media Addiction Cases Hinges on SCOTUS

A pending US Supreme Court case testing the scope of online platforms’ legal liability shield known as “Section 230" has partially clouded the landscape for nearly 100 lawsuits claiming that Meta Platform Inc.‘s Facebook, TikTok Inc., Snap Inc., and other social media outlets have addicted children and caused depression.

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who is overseeing the cases, said at a Wednesday hearing in San Francisco that she won’t issue a ruling on the historically strong Section 230 defense until the Supreme Court hands down a decision.

Section 230 refers to the provision of the ...