In a significant development, the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed over 3,000 lawsuits against tech titans like Meta, Google, TikTok, Snapchat, and others to move forward. The companies are accused of designing addictive products that adversely impact children's health. The court rejected the companies' initial plea to halt litigation before trial, stating that the appeal was premature as most appeals occur post-trial. The tech giants argued that Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which typically protects online platforms from liability over user-generated content, also shielded them from claims related to the addictive design of their platforms. However, the court disagreed, asserting that Section 230 provides a defense against liability rather than absolute immunity from being sued. Meanwhile, Meta faced another setback as the court denied its request to delay a trial scheduled for Wednesday. The trial, brought by 29 state attorneys general, alleges that Meta illegally collected and used children's data and engineered its platforms to keep young users engaged, misleading the public about their safety. This legal action comes amidst growing global concern over social media's harmful effects on minors. For instance, France plans to ban under-15s from social media sites and prohibit mobile phones in high schools starting next month. Australia has already imposed a ban, and Britain plans one next year. These measures reflect increasing public anxiety regarding online harms to minors, with President Emmanuel Macron of France linking social media to youth violence. In the US, lawsuits filed by states, municipalities, school districts, and individual families allege that these companies knowingly developed addictive products that have exacerbated depression, anxiety, and broader mental health crises among youth. The cases are consolidated before US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, where plaintiffs seek damages, penalties, and restitution. A jury in Los Angeles has already found Meta and Google negligent in the first such case to reach trial, awarding $6m to a 20-year-old woman who claimed she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube as a child. Meta and Google have denied wrongdoing and plan to appeal.