A US appeals court has rejected an attempt by Meta and TikTok to block a mass trial over social media addiction claims, clearing the way for litigation seeking up to $1.4 trillion (£1.1 trillion) in damages to proceed. The 9th Circuit ruled that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which limits platforms' liability for third-party content, only provides a legal defence rather than blanket immunity from being taken to trial, so it lacked jurisdiction to intervene before the case had run its course.

The ruling allows a trial to begin later this month, with jury selection starting on 12 August and proceedings due to open on 19 August, in a case brought by attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey. It forms part of a vast multidistrict litigation of more than 3,000 lawsuits consolidated in California, which also names Google and Snapchat and includes claims from 25 further state attorneys general, individuals, school districts and local governments alleging that Facebook and Instagram were designed to be addictive and harmful, particularly to children. State prosecutors say Meta "deceived the public" about its platforms' safety, while a district judge had already largely rejected Meta's bid to have the case dismissed back in October 2024.