Doe 1 et al v. Shanlee Inc et al

On July 23, 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by multiple anonymous minor plaintiffs (Doe 1, Doe 2, Doe 3) against Shanlee Inc., the operator of a live-streaming platform. The complaint alleges that Shanlee Inc. designed and marketed its application in a way that facilitated the sexual exploitation of children, enabling adult predators to connect with, groom, and abuse minors. The plaintiffs accuse the company of product liability, negligence, and violating federal laws such as 18 U.S.C. § 2255, which provides remedies for victims of child sexual abuse material. The suit claims the platform’s lack of robust age verification and moderation features directly led to the harm suffered by the victims.

The case is currently pending. As of the filing date in July 2024, no final judgment or settlement has been reached.

Whether Shanlee Inc. can be held civilly liable for the sexual abuse of minors committed by third-party users on its platform, and whether its product design choices strip it of immunity under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The case further disputes the extent of a social media company’s duty of care to prevent foreseeable harm to children.

The lawsuit has intensified the public debate over the safety of children on live-streaming and social media platforms. It adds to the mounting pressure on U.S. Congress to pass stricter online safety regulations, such as the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), and has prompted renewed scrutiny of tech companies that fail to implement sufficient age-verification and content moderation systems.