Lawsuits allege that social media companies intentionally addicted young ‌users, contributing ⁠to depression, anxietyInstagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and Reddit applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. — REUTERSA US appeals court on Monday allowed thousands of lawsuits to move forward against Meta Platforms, Alphabet's ‌Google, ByteDance's TikTok, and other social media companies over claims they designed their products to be addictive to young users. But the 9th Circuit said Section 230 provides a defence to liability, ​not immunity from lawsuits, so the appeal was premature. Thousands of lawsuitsFiled by states, municipalities, school districts and individuals, the lawsuits allege that social media companies intentionally addicted young ‌users, contributing ⁠to surging depression, anxiety and body-image issues and a broader mental health crisis among American youth in recent years. The companies are facing hundreds of additional lawsuits over similar claims in state court, with approximately 3,300 of them in a consolidated proceeding ​in California state court.