backKing & Spalding secured a victory for TikTok in the California JCCP In re Social Media Cases venued in Los Angeles County. This litigation includes lawsuits filed by users who allege injuries from use of the defendants' online communication services, as well as school districts and local government entities alleging they incurred costs associated with addressing harms to students’ mental health. This litigation also targets Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Snap (Snapchat), and Google (YouTube).
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl sustained the social media companies' demurrer to the complaints brought by school districts in Rhode Island, California, Florida and Washington, rejecting their argument that they should be compensated for alleged economic damages arising from adolescent use of various online communications services, including TikTok. The court held that liability for negligence does not extend to third parties alleging indirect economic injuries and that the doctrine of public nuisance does not apply in this context.
King & Spalding is also representing TikTok in an ongoing federal MDL consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
The King & Spalding team handling the briefing on these issues includes partners Geoff Drake, David Mattern, Matt Blaschke and TaCara Harris.