Case Explained: PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, ET AL. V. META PLATFORMS, INC., ET AL.

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Filed: 2026-08-10 Docket: 4:22-md-03047-YGR The ninth-circuit dismissed Meta Platforms, Inc., TikTok entities, and plaintiffs’ conditional cross-appeals for lack of appellate jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291. The court held that section 230 of the Communications Decency Act provides a defense to liability rather than immunity from suit, meaning denials of such defenses do not qualify for immediate interlocutory review under the collateral order doctrine. Applying the three stringent requirements derived from *Cohen v. Beneficial Indus. Loan Corp.*, the court found the district court’s ruling failed to conclusively determine the disputed question, was not completely separate from the merits of the action, and could be effectively reviewed on appeal from a final judgment. As a result, the appeals are dismissed and the litigation must proceed in the district court until final judgment is entered. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.