A growing number of lawsuits against Meta Platforms Inc. and other social media companies are utilizing products liability claims as a tool to circumvent an immunity statute that has long shielded tech companies from being sued as third-party publishers.

The trending approach is gaining momentum as more and more plaintiffs allege that social media companies seek to addict their users. Attorneys involved in the litigation say the products liability theory could be key to holding big tech companies accountable in a legal landscape that has historically afforded them a large amount of protection.