Doe

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

JOHN DOE, an individual, No. 24-475 D.C. No. Plaintiff - Appellant, 2:23-cv-02093-

ODW-PD

v.

GRINDR INC.; GRINDR LLC,

OPINION

Defendants - Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California Otis D. Wright II, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted December 3, 2024 Pasadena, California

Filed February 18, 2025

Before: Jay S. Bybee, Sandra S. Ikuta, and Bridget S. Bade, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Ikuta SUMMARY *

Communications Decency Act

The panel affirmed the district court’s dismissal, as barred by § 230 of the Communications Decency Act, of an action brought by an underage Grindr application user against Grindr Inc. and Grindr LLC, alleging sex trafficking in violation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act and causes of action under state law. Under § 230, interactive computer service providers are immune from state law liability when plaintiffs seek to treat those providers as publishers of third-party content. The panel held that § 230 barred the plaintiff’s state law claims…