Thousands of lawsuits accusing major social media companies of fueling harmful and addictive use among young people can continue in federal court. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an early appeal from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. The ruling leaves more than 3,000 consolidated federal cases before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. Plaintiffs allege that platform design features encouraged compulsive use and contributed to mental health problems among children and teenagers.