These lawsuits could bring about new era of accountability for social media

The world's biggest social media companies are facing an unprecedented legal reckoning in the United States, with thousands of lawsuits accusing platforms of causing widespread harm—particularly to children. From industry veterans such as Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, Google-owned YouTube and Snapchat to newer platforms including TikTok, Discord and gaming platform Roblox, the cases could fundamentally reshape how social media companies operate.

The implications extend well beyond the courtroom, according to legal experts who spoke to the BBC, seeing as lawmakers and regulators are closely watching the litigation. Due tot the growing public backlash against social media platforms, any decision is likely to influence policymaking—and potentially even election campaigns—for years to come.

After reviewing dozens of ongoing cases, the British network identified several lawsuits that are expected to head to trial within the next year and could have far-reaching consequences for the technology industry.

Social Media Adolescent Addiction MDL

One of the largest cases is a sweeping multidistrict litigation (MDL) in California, which brings together claims from more than 1,000 school districts across the United States.

The plaintiffs argue that Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok were deliberately engineered to be addictive, causing significant harm to children's mental and emotional well-being through excessive use.

School districts contend that addressing the consequences of excessive social media use has placed a growing financial burden on education systems, forcing them to devote additional resources to student welfare. They argue that the platforms should be classified as a "public nuisance" and held responsible for the damage caused to young users.

Although the broader litigation is expected to take several more years to conclude, a jury trial covering some of the claims is scheduled for February. One school district has already reached an out-of-court settlement.

People of the State of California v. Meta

A separate high-profile case, filed in 2023 by California and Colorado alongside 27 other states, targets Meta and Instagram alone and is scheduled to go to trial in August.

The states accuse Meta of violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a federal law enacted in 2000 to safeguard the online privacy of children under 13.

Court records show Meta has already produced more than two million documents as part of the proceedings.

If the states succeed, they are seeking sweeping changes, including stronger measures to prevent children under 13 from accessing Meta's platforms, the deletion of data previously collected from underage users, and additional reforms to the company's practices.

John Doe, a minor v. Roblox et al

Another closely watched case involves Roblox and Discord, which are being sued by a 13-year-old boy in California.

The lawsuit alleges the teenager was groomed and solicited through both platforms by an adult sexual predator who was later arrested for offences involving more than two dozen children.

According to the complaint, both companies failed to adequately protect young users because their platforms were defectively designed and falsely marketed as safe for children.

Roblox and Discord attempted to move the dispute into private arbitration, but the court rejected the request. The proceedings are currently paused while the companies appeal that decision.

If the appeal fails, the case could proceed to trial later this year. A ruling against the platforms could prompt significant changes to age-verification systems and limit how unknown adults can communicate with minors through messaging and chat functions.

Forrest v. Meta

Not all of the major lawsuits centre on child safety.

Australian billionaire Dr Andrew Forrest sued Meta in California in 2022, accusing the company of failing to stop fraudulent advertisements that used his name and image to promote fake investment schemes on Facebook.

The lawsuit includes allegations of image misuse and unjust enrichment, arguing that Meta profited from scam advertisements regardless of their fraudulent nature.

Perhaps the most consequential aspect of the case is Forrest's challenge to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act—the law that has long shielded online platforms from liability for user-generated content.

Meta argues that Section 230 protects it from Forrest's claims. However, Forrest is asking the court to rule that the legal immunity should not apply in this instance.

If the court ultimately sides with Forrest, the decision could undermine one of the foundational legal protections that internet platforms have relied upon for decades, potentially opening the door to far greater corporate liability across the technology industry.

By Nazrin Sadigova