{"id":368889,"date":"2023-02-09T13:19:02","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T18:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-social-media-platform.html"},"modified":"2025-06-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T05:00:00","slug":"can-i-sue-a-social-media-platform","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-social-media-platform.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue a Social Media Platform?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Can I Sue a Social Media Platform?<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/steven-ellison-esq\/\">Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/joseph-fawbush-esq\/\">Joseph Fawbush, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            June 23, 2025\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>You can only sue a social media platform in limited circumstances, such as when it violates your intellectual property rights or creates harmful content itself. Federal law protects platforms from liability for user-generated content and their decisions to remove or keep it.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n<p>Because the law does not view social media platforms as publishers or speakers of content posted by users, they cannot be held liable for third-party content. They also can&#8217;t be held liable for their good-faith decision to remove content they find objectionable. Together, this means social media companies are immune from most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/civil-court-cases.html\">civil lawsuits<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But, exceptions exist for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Violation of intellectual property rights<\/li>\n<li>Breach of contract<\/li>\n<li>Failure to warn of known illegal activity (failure to warn)<\/li>\n<li>Direct involvement in harmful content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Taking on Big Tech is a challenge. Social media companies are highly resourced, with dedicated in-house legal teams specializing in defending lawsuits brought on by platform users. If you are considering suing a social media platform, consult with an experienced attorney first. Depending on the nature of your claim, you may benefit from working with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/intellectual-property-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">An intellectual property attorney<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/contracts\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A contract law attorney<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/personal-injury-plaintiff\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A personal injury attorney<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The right attorney can give valuable legal advice and help you decide if legal action is the best course of action.<\/p>\n<h2>History of Social Media<\/h2>\n<p>The history of social media doesn&#8217;t start with MySpace. You must go back nearly two centuries. On May 24, 1844, inventor Samuel F.B. Morse tapped out a message from Washington to Baltimore on a telegraph: \u201cWhat Hath God Wrought?&quot; Morse had figured out how to use electricity to send a series of codes representing letters of the alphabet. This was the beginning of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Morse_code\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Morse Code<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The modern history of social media starts with the development of the Internet. In 1969, the government, in conjunction with several universities, set up the first online network, the <a href=\"https:\/\/ntrs.nasa.gov\/citations\/19920002477\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Advanced Research Projects Agency Network<\/a> (ARPANET). In 1987, the National Science Foundation launched a more robust nationwide network, the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsf.gov\/impacts\/internet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Science Foundation Network<\/a> (NSFNET). This network directly led to the development of today&#8217;s internet.<\/p>\n<p>The first uploading site, <a href=\"https:\/\/online.maryville.edu\/blog\/evolution-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Six Degrees<\/a>, fizzled out shortly after its launch in 1997. In 2002, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>, the professional networking site, launched, followed shortly thereafter by <a href=\"https:\/\/myspace.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MySpace<\/a> (2002).<\/p>\n<p>In three years, MySpace became the most visited website on the planet. It was quickly eclipsed by modern social media platforms like Facebook. Myspace has changed hands frequently over the years, with Justin Timberlake purchasing the company in 2011 for $35 million. Time Inc. purchased it in 2016 and later sold it to&nbsp;Viant Technology LLC in 2019.<\/p>\n<h2>Modern Social Media Sites and Stats<\/h2>\n<p>Today, there are several major social media platforms. The largest and most popular include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reddit<\/a> (launched in 2005 by Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> (launched in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a> (founded in 2006 by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/\">X, formerly&nbsp;Twitter<\/a> (founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey and others)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pinterest<\/a> (launched in 2010 by app developer Ben Silbermann)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram<\/a> (founded in 2010 by Stanford graduate Kevin Systrom)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snapchat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Snapchat<\/a> (launched in 2011 by Stanford students Evan Spiegel, Reggie Brown, and Bobby Murphy)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/login\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TikTok<\/a> (launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These platforms serve a combined total of approximately 5.24 billion social media users as of February 2025. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/datareportal.com\/reports\/digital-2025-sub-section-state-of-social\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Data Portal<\/a>, those users:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Comprise 63.9% of the total global population<\/li>\n<li>Spend two hours, 21 minutes on social media platforms daily<\/li>\n<li>Use an average of 6.8 social platforms per month<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Dealing With Offensive or Defamatory Social Media Posts<\/h2>\n<p>Here is an example: Say you run a restaurant. You have pages on Meta&#8217;s Facebook and Instagram sites, and your staff posts funny restaurant videos on TikTok. One day, a member of your staff shows you a screenshot of a Facebook post that really upsets you:<\/p>\n<blockquote>I wouldn&#8217;t eat at that place if you paid me! I heard the owner is a racist pedophile!<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/defamation-law-the-basics.html\">This is untrue<\/a>. You immediately report this false statement to Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>Days go by, and you notice a drop in your business. You check Facebook again and see that the comment is still there. You report it again, but Facebook doesn&#8217;t take it down.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s when you decide to <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/personal-injury-plaintiff\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact a lawyer<\/a> and see what you can do.<\/p>\n<h2>Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1996<\/h2>\n<p>The lawyer tells you there isn&#8217;t much you can do against the platform, Meta. With only limited exceptions, federal law generally immunizes social media platforms from civil lawsuits, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/defamation-libel-slander.html\">defamation lawsuits<\/a>, based on content posted by third parties.<\/p>\n<p>In 1996, years before the first modern social media platforms were invented, Congress amended the <a href=\"https:\/\/codes.findlaw.com\/us\/title-47-telecommunications\/47-usc-sect-609.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Communications Act of 1934<\/a> to help promote the growth of the rapidly developing internet in light of free speech. Congress believed that if \u201cinteractive computer services&quot; could be held liable for content posted by third parties, the threat of litigation would deter people from creating new sites. As a result, it passed <a href=\"https:\/\/codes.findlaw.com\/us\/title-47-telecommunications\/47-usc-sect-230.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">section 230 of the Communications Decency Act<\/a>. Section 230 largely does two things: it specifically excludes social media platforms from being a &quot;publisher&quot; and protects &quot;good faith&quot; content moderation.<\/p>\n<h3>Not a Publisher or a Speaker<\/h3>\n<p>First, section 230 states that \u201cinteractive computer services,&quot; which today includes social media platforms, cannot be treated as the \u201cpublisher&quot; or \u201cspeaker&quot; of content posted by others on their sites. If the platform isn&#8217;t considered to be the publisher or the speaker of the content, they aren&#8217;t legally responsible for the content.<\/p>\n<p>Section 230 essentially immunizes online platforms from most state law claims, also known as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries.html\">torts<\/a>&quot;. This means you wouldn&#8217;t be able to sue Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media site in court for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Defamation<\/li>\n<li>Intentional infliction of emotional distress<\/li>\n<li>Online harassment<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/cyber-bullying.html\">Cyberbullying<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Content Moderation Decisions<\/h3>\n<p>Second, section 230 grants social media platforms broad protection from lawsuits based on content moderation decisions. As long as they act in \u201cgood faith,&quot; they are free to remove any \u201cobscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, excessively violent, harassing, or otherwise objectionable&quot; content. Or, they can choose to leave it up. It&#8217;s up to them to decide whether something is harmful and remove it.<\/p>\n<p>Getting back to the restaurant example, you can&#8217;t sue Facebook because it fails to remove an offensive post directed at you. This is still true even if the post is completely false. Your lawyer tells you that if you were to sue Facebook, a court would most likely dismiss your case, despite the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/elements-of-libel-and-slander.html\">defamatory content<\/a>, because of this broad grant of immunity.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s not to say you can&#8217;t sue someone, but tracking down the user who posted the comment poses a challenge.<\/p>\n<h2>Exceptions to Section 230<\/h2>\n<p>There are ways around section 230 immunity. Some of these are expressly in the statute. Others are legal theories you might be able to raise in your specific case.<\/p>\n<h3>Intellectual Property Claims<\/h3>\n<p>You can sue social media platforms if they violate your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/intellectual-property.html\">intellectual property rights<\/a>. Suppose you wrote an original poem and included it in the menu on your Facebook page. An anonymous user copies your poem and posts it on another Facebook page. You would be able to sue Facebook for copyright infringement. This is why the platform quickly removes posts that implicate copyright or other intellectual property rights.<\/p>\n<h3>Content Created By the Social Media Platform<\/h3>\n<p>Another exception to immunity is for content that the social media platform itself creates. While they can&#8217;t be liable for content someone else posts, they are legally responsible for their own content. So if someone at Facebook had posted the comment about your restaurant, you could sue Facebook for online defamation.<\/p>\n<h3>Other Statutory Exceptions<\/h3>\n<p>Section 230 contains a few additional exceptions to immunity. Social media companies are not immune from federal criminal prosecution. They can also&nbsp;be sued for violating certain privacy laws applicable to electronic communications. Finally, they are not immune from state or federal laws relating to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/human-trafficking-and-slavery.html\">sex trafficking<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Other Legal Theories: Breach of Contract and Failure to Warn<\/h3>\n<p>A few people have managed to&nbsp;circumvent section 230 immunity when the conduct of the social media company itself was at issue. In one case, a user reported a post, and the social media company promised to remove it. They didn&#8217;t. Rather than sue the social media company for the offensive post, the user successfully <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-for-breach-of-contract-.html\">sued it for breach of contract<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In another case, a social media platform was aware that two of its users were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/sex-offenders-and-sex-offenses-overview.html\">convicted sex offenders<\/a> and that they used the platform to find hookups. They raped one of the women they met on the site. The victim successfully sued the social media platform for failing to warn her of the danger posed by the two users.<\/p>\n<p>Note that in both of these situations, the claim against the social media platform was not based on the content of a third party&#8217;s post. The claims were based on the conduct of the social media platform itself.<\/p>\n<h2>If You Are Upset With a Social Media Company, Consult a Lawyer<\/h2>\n<p>Generally speaking, if you can show that your legal claim is based on something other than the content of another user&#8217;s post, you may be able to sue the social media company. Otherwise, section 230&#8217;s broad grant of immunity would bar your claim.<\/p>\n<p>Even though section 230 is almost 30 years old, this is still an evolving area of the law. There&#8217;s talk amongst lawmakers in Congress about amending, or even repealing, section 230. And, in the right case, you may be able to avoid section 230 immunity entirely. It&#8217;s important to <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">consult an attorney<\/a> for current legal information.<\/p>\n<p>If you are thinking about suing a social media company, consider consulting with, depending on your case, a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/personal-injury-plaintiff\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">personal injury attorney<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/contracts\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contracts attorney<\/a>, or an <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/intellectual-property-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">intellectual property attorney<\/a>. An experienced attorney in your area can provide legal advice specific to your situation, explain your rights, and represent you if you decide that suing a social media company is in your best interest.<\/p>\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M6 21H3C2.46957 21 1.96086 20.7893 1.58579 20.4142C1.21071 20.0391 1 19.5304 1 19V12C1 11.4696 1.21071 10.9609 1.58579 10.5858C1.96086 10.2107 2.46957 10 3 10H6M13 8V4C13 3.20435 12.6839 2.44129 12.1213 1.87868C11.5587 1.31607 10.7956 1 10 1L6 10V21H17.28C17.7623 21.0055 18.2304 20.8364 18.5979 20.524C18.9654 20.2116 19.2077 19.7769 19.28 19.3L20.66 10.3C20.7035 10.0134 20.6842 9.72068 20.6033 9.44225C20.5225 9.16382 20.3821 8.90629 20.1919 8.68751C20.0016 8.46873 19.7661 8.29393 19.5016 8.17522C19.2371 8.0565 18.9499 7.99672 18.66 8H13Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\n                              stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3418\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                        >Easy to understand<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Solved my problem\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\">\n        <div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    You want an attorney to represent you in court or during appeals\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Complex court cases (such as contract disputes, real estate, family law, personal injury, or employment) generally need the support of an attorney\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>The court process for many cases, such as intellectual property or probate, can be complicated and slow. An attorney help prevent common mistakes during litigation.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL34\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                src=\"https://www.findlaw.com/static/c/images\/images\/w_1200,c_limit,dpr_auto\/f_auto,q_auto:eco\/v1745902396\/ability-law\/wp-prod\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1.png?_i=AA\"\n                alt=\"\"\n                loading=\"lazy\"\n            \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-content fl-flex fl-flex-wrap\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-text fl-mb25\">\n            <h4 class=\"fl-no-margin\">Enter your email address to subscribe<\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <form class=\"email-subscription-content-form\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distributionList\" value=\"latl\" \/>\n            <label for=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" class=\"fl-text-sm-bold\">Email (Required)<\/label>\n            <div class=\"email-subscription-content-form-group\">\n                <input id=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" name=\"email\" autocomplete=\"email\"\/>\n                <button type=\"submit\" aria-label=\"Submit\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-success subscribe-success-message fl-text-sm-bold\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"status\">Thank you for subscribing!<\/p>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-error subscribe-error-message fl-text-sm-bold\" role=\"alert\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/p>\n\n            <div id=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha\" class=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha subscribe-recaptcha\"\n                data-sitekey=\"0x4AAAAAAABGBEkK9kEeKxO-\"><\/div>\n        <\/form>\n\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-footer fl-text-sm\">\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/newsletters.findlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more about FindLaw\u2019s newsletters<\/a>, including our terms of use and privacy policy.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"general-list\">\n    <h3>Helpful Links<\/h3>\n    <ul class=\"fl-list fl-no-margin\">\n                                    <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/going-to-court.html\">\n                        What To Expect When Going to Court\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-.html\">\n                        Can I Sue?\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/legal-system\/civil-court-basics.html\">\n                        Civil Court Basics\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"popularDirectory\">\n        <div class=\"general-popular-directory \">\n            <div class=\"general-popular-directory-title\">\n                <h3>Attorney Directory<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <ul>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/litigation-appeals\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Litigation and Appeals Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FindLaw discusses suing social media platforms and immunity under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, as well as exceptions to immunity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":368853,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2803],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-368889","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-litigation"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368889","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=368889"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368889\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/368853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=368889"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=368889"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=368889"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=368889"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=368889"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}