Google Claims Immunity to Loot Box Suits Via Liability Shield

Google LLC urged a California federal court to dismiss a would-be class consumer lawsuit challenging “loot boxes” in video games downloaded from the Google Play platform, saying it’s shielded by the federal Communications Decency Act because it didn’t create the games.

John Coffee and Mei-Ling Montanez alleged Google unlawfully entices children and adolescents to engage in gambling and similar addictive conduct through loot boxes, which contain virtual items designed to enhance game play.

Loot boxes are acquired with virtual currency that’s either collected through normal game play, or purchased with real money. A player doesn’t know what a loot box ...