Spencer Fane attorney Crystal Armstrong’s article, Platforms as Products: Pleading Around Section 230 in Youth Social Media Litigation, was recently published in Business Law Today, an American Bar Association publication.
In the piece, Crystal examines a growing trend in youth social media litigation, with plaintiffs challenging platform features such as algorithmic feeds, endless scrolling, and notifications rather than user-generated content. Using Meta’s recent multibillion-dollar child safety settlement as a key example, she illustrates that courts are allowing more product liability claims to move forward despite Section 230 protections, increasing legal risk for technology companies.
“Section 230 is no longer an absolute shield in youth social media cases,” she concluded. “That shift changes the calculus for anyone who builds a consumer platform or advises one: The statute can no longer be counted on to end a case at the outset, and everyday design choices now carry real litigation risk. Building safety into the product from the start has become the surest way to limit that exposure.”
At the firm, Crystal maintains a multidisciplinary practice in which she guides clients through matters spanning estate planning, complex tax law, and health care. Within her multidisciplinary practice, she also helps health care providers navigate matters related to business law and transactional issues. Across all industries and matters, Crystal prioritizes robust, integrated legal strategies that support strategic financial objectives, regulatory adherence, risk-averse structures, and streamlined operations.
Read Crystal’s full ABA article here.