Florida Appeals Court Advances Child Safety Lawsuit Against Meta, Rejecting First Amendment Claims
A Florida state appeals court has ruled that Meta must face a lawsuit brought by Florida's attorney general concerning child safety on its social media platforms. The Second District Court of Appeal, in a 19-page decision, declined to dismiss the case and upheld a lower court's order, stating that Meta has not yet proven violations of its First Amendment rights. Judge Andrea Teves Smith, a Rick Scott appointee, wrote that the challenged order does not infringe on Meta's First Amendment rights, nor does it alter the status quo, place new restrictions, or compel Meta to do anything. Judges Suzanne Labrit, a Ron DeSantis appointee, and Robert Morris, a Charlie Crist appointee, concurred. Florida initially filed suit against Meta in 2024, alleging the company misled parents about the dangers of its platforms, violating the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. This ruling allows the case to proceed, despite Meta's arguments of free speech violations and immunity under Section 230 of the Communicati...
