Meta Platforms is asking a Los Angeles judge to overturn a jury's verdict that found the company liable for a woman's depression in a landmark trial over social media addiction.
In a filing made public Wednesday, Meta argued it is shielded by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that protects online platforms from liability over user-generated content. The company claims the evidence tied the plaintiff's mental health issues to the content she viewed, not design features like autoplay and infinite scroll.
The jury in March found Meta and Google negligent in designing their platforms and failing to warn users of dangers, awarding $4.2 million in damages against Meta and $1.8 million against Google. Google has also said it plans to appeal.
The lawsuit, brought by a plaintiff known as Kaley G.M., is a bellwether case for thousands of similar lawsuits filed by individuals, families, school districts, and states. These cases allege social media companies deliberately designed addictive platforms, fueling a nationwide mental health crisis among teens and young people.
Lower courts have largely rejected Section 230 defenses, but the interpretation of the law remains a key issue for any appeal.