Case Explained: PERSONAL INJURY PLAINTIFFS, ET AL. V. TIKTOK, LLC, 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 over interlocutory orders denying motions to dismiss based on section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The court held that section 230 provides a defense to liability rather than immunity from suit, meaning denials of such defenses do not satisfy the collateral order doctrine requirements under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 because they are effectively reviewable on appeal from a final judgment. Additionally, the court found the district court’s rulings failed to conclusively determine the disputed question and were not completely separate from the merits of the action. The practical consequence is that the appeals cannot proceed immediately, and the underlying multidistrict litigation must continue in the district court until a final judgment is entered. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.