Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act

Big tech firms, including Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap, are fighting against roughly 3,000 youth safety lawsuits alleging their platforms harmed mental health and were addictive. The litigation gained momentum after a federal court ruled that Section 230 provides 'a defense to liability, not immunity from lawsuits.' These cases focus on how the companies allegedly engineered their algorithms to maximize user engagement using techniques that exploit the brain's reward system.

YouTube has appealed a verdict in a landmark lawsuit where a jury found it and Meta negligent for designing platforms that caused harm to a young woman through addictive features. The case, the first of its kind, resulted in a $3 million damages award and could influence similar lawsuits against social media companies.

Democrats’ 'Project 2029' introduces a policy framework targeting online child safety, aiming to counter conservative 'Project 2025' and shape the 2028 presidential race. The 'Kids Over Clicks' proposal seeks to limit Section 230 protections for tech companies, ban social media accounts for under-16s, and implement stricter privacy and safety measures.