Technology
Sep. 8, 2026
Social media addiction lawsuits test limits of Section 230
Plaintiffs are increasingly arguing that addictive platform features are defective product designs rather than third-party content, a theory that could reshape liability for social media companies and other technology firms.
For decades, social media companies have relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to shield them from liability for content posted by users.
"Social media companies have essentially said in the past, 'We're not responsible for anything,'" UC Law San Francisco professor Robin Feldman said. "And that has worked, until recently."
Now, plaintiffs suing Meta, YouTube and other platforms over alleged teen social media addiction are...
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