US Appeals Court Takes Aim at Big Tech Liability Shield
- TikTok must face trial in case over 10-year-old girl’s death
- Ruling could have implications for all social media platforms
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A US appeals court has struck down a long-standing argument from social media platforms: that a federal law grants them blanket immunity from being held accountable for user harms – even the wrongful death of children.
In a ruling delivered by a three-judge appeals court panel on Tuesday, a Pennsylvania mother won the right to sue TikTok over the death of her 10-year-old daughter. The court said that TikTok could be liable because its algorithm served up dangerous content to the child.