To help with your writing efforts, here’s what people are looking for in Products Liability online. Trending topics culled from JD Supra, search analytics, social media conversations, and other sources:
Consider writing about:
A California measure known as the Truth in Recycling or Truth in Labeling law; what to know about the law’s origins, key objectives, and effective date; compliance obligations and potential violation penalties under the Truth in Recycling law that businesses should be paying attention to; how the California law compares to other states’ recycling-related labeling laws; potential grounds for legal challenges to these types of laws.
Consider writing about:
Trends involving chatbots; how state proposals regarding this tech development are evolving; which states have passed laws, or are considering legislation, on this matter; types of chatbots (business or “companion” types) and types of interactions or other activities that states are targeting; disclosure requirements and other key obligations under these state measures; potential penalties for violations; how either chatbot developers or businesses that make chatbots part of their operations can reduce potential risk to themselves or members of the public who interact with chatbots.
Consider writing about:
Recent settlements that gaming platform Roblox has reached with several states over children’s safety; principal claims or concerns raised over the platform’s potential safety risks for young users; how Roblox is responding to those concerns; whether there are still additional child safety allegations against Roblox that have yet to be resolved; what other tech companies may be able to learn from the Roblox settlements regarding their own practices and whether they might need to improve them; and perhaps a wider-angle look at legal trends involving online child safety.
Related information:
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/roblox-alabama-settlement-attorney-general-rcna341128
https://apnews.com/article/roblox-nevada-settlement-28b3d7d7a483dc28462a7504b67c9bbc
Consider writing about:
A discussion draft released in mid-March by Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn in conjunction with a Trump administration Executive Order regarding AI laws; what this proposal aims to do; specifically, what it could mean for AI-related safety standards, product liability risks stemming from the development or use of AI technology, federal or state overview of AI systems, and related enforcement actions; potential oversights, gaps, or shortcomings in this discussion draft, or additional causes for concern.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
The latest significant developments involving PFAS, whether congressional legislation, labeling requirements, RICO lawsuits, or other actions or trends of note. The PFAS landscape seems to be roiling with an ever-increasing number of new developments that the business community should know about. What are the primary liability risk areas right now, or the emerging risks (whether generally speaking for the business community, or pertaining to a certain industry, product, practice, or region)? How can companies best defend themselves in this environment?
Consider writing about:
How companies can use AI tools as a way to strengthen their product safety practices; types of tools that coulld prove helpful in this regard and/or that are already being used for this purpose; how companies can make best use of AI tools for the sake of their products’ quality and performance and the satisfaction of customers; potential drawbacks or risks that companies should be aware of before embracing AI as a product safety “assistant,” lest an AI tool become a product liability risk of its own; any real-life cautionary tales on this front.
Consider writing about:
A New Mexico jury’s verdict in a trial over Meta platforms’ alleged dangers to children; key claims against the tech giant; relevant statutes under which Meta was sued; what to know regarding the next phase of the New Mexico trial, and also regarding any other still unsettled cases involving social media platforms’ alleged harm to young people, and what this New Mexico case could signal for the potential fate of those cases; and perhaps some additional guidance for companies of other types regarding minors’ online safety and related liability risks.
Related information:
https://www.npr.org/2026/03/24/g-s1-115019/new-mexico-meta-children-mental-health
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/24/jury-reaches-verdict-in-meta-child-safety-trial-in-new-mexico.html
Consider writing about:
A proposed class action filed in California federal court this month against Target Corp. over “sustainably caught” claims that the retailer makes about its Good & Gather tuna products; what this case may demonstrate regarding best practices or potential perils in marketing products as being “sustainable;” what qualifies a product to be described as such; potential alternative phrasings to consider; related business or legal trends involving companies’ environmental claims, and how best to navigate possibly choppy waters.
Consider writing about:
An $11.5 million civil penalty that Shimano Inc. and Shimano North America Holding have agreed to pay to settle U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission charges; nature of the CPSC complaint; factors that likely contributed to the large dollar size of the proposed settlement; additional repercussions for Shimano involving its compliance performance and internal operations; lessons that other companies may be able to take from this case as regards the CPSC’s role and powers and regarding how best to comply with the Consumer Product Safety Act.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
How a China-based tech company’s security lapse enabled a software engineer to acquire access to thousands of robot vacuums and the information they generated from their existence “in the field”; what this incident illustrates regarding perils that may arise from the presence of “smart” devices in homes and businesses; any noteworthy lawsuits or regulatory actions over security failures by the manufacturers of other IoT devices; best practices for IoT device makers, either in anticipation of, or in the wake of, a possible security failure; how best to communicate with customers regarding suspected or proven vulnerabilities; additional ways to minimize liability risk.
Related information:
https://www.theverge.com/tech/879088/dji-romo-hack-vulnerability-remote-control-camera-access-mqtt
https://www.techbuzz.ai/articles/dji-pays-30k-for-accidental-hack-exposing-7-000-robot-vacuums
Consider writing about:
Recent or otherwise noteworthy developments involving microplastics. Take your pick of potential issues to explore, ranging from scientific studies to federal or state legislation to international regulatory efforts, consumer lawsuits, federal enforcement actions, state attorney general initiatives, and beyond. What are the key liability risks right now for manufacturers, retailers, and other companies? Are familiar risk areas accelerating or changing in other ways? How are legal battles faring over microplastics’ alleged harms to the environment, consumers, or the general public, and what practical takeaways may be gleaned from those?
Related information:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/13/microplastics-human-body-doubt
Consider writing about:
Lawsuits involving the athletic equipment sector, whether involving sports gear for amateur or professional athletes. What are some noteworthy lawsuits over alleged product defects, safety risks, physical harm to users or spectators, or other significant issues? What are the related issues for buyers or suppliers of allegedly problematic sports equipment, whether they are schools, recreation centers, tourist sites, or other entities? What additional issues might arise in the case of minors who are allegedly harmed by defective sports equipment? How should businesses be protecting themselves from lawsuits over sports equipment’s alleged hazards?
Consider writing about:
That latest developments of note involving pesticides. Among the possible topics to choose from (or to tie together in one article): a proposed multibillion-dollar settlement by Bayer over the weed killer Roundup; a recent Executive Order on glyphosate production, the rationale for the order, and what it means for glyphosate manufacturers; whether the Defense Production Act provides a legally sound basis for the Executive Order, or whether it provides an opening for lawsuits; political blowback over the Executive Order, and what it could mean for the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement or the wider MAGA coalition and its support of the Trump administration; other federal or state actions regarding pesticide safety, including campaigns to shield pesticide manufacturers from liability; whether there are any meaningful efforts being made to reformulate pesticides, in the face of potential liability risks involving glyphosate. Also, how are pesticides classified and regulated, whether in the United States or in other countries, and how has regulators’ approach to pesticides evolved in recent years?
Related information:
Consider writing about:
A recent Georgia jury verdict in favor of Teva Pharmaceuticals in the first U.S. jury trial over the company’s Paragard IUD; product defect allegations at issue in this case; the verdict’s potential implications for other IUD-related lawsuits against Teva; trends involving the manufacturing of IUDs, their history, and product liability claims against medical device makers over IUDs’ performance or alleged health risks.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
A lawsuit filed by Texas’ attorney general against fast-fashion company Shein; basis for AG Ken Paxton’s allegations that the retailer’s clothes contain toxic materials; whether other states’ attorneys general are making similar accusations against Shein or other fast-fashion companies or clothing companies with ties to China; how seriously to take the Texas lawsuit (do Paxton’s claims hold water, or is his lawsuit more about political messaging and/or anti-China sentiment?); whether other companies should be taking a hard look at their supply chains in the wake of the Texas lawsuit.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
A Feb. 6 ruling in an industry challenge to Oregon’s extended producer responsibility program; basis for the challenge to the state law; what the court’s action means for parties to this case, and, more broadly speaking, for the larger business community’s environmental obligations; next steps in the Oregon dispute, and what interested parties should be watching for; how EPR programs in other states are faring, and whether they are facing similar legal challenges.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
How Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” campaign is causing ripples on the state level for the food and beverage industry; new state laws or proposals that take aim at food dyes or other ingredients; legal challenges filed by food and beverage manufacturers against the state measures; other actions that industry has taken in response to the state laws, or may want to consider.
Related information:
https://www.statesman.com/news/politics/state/article/texas-food-labeling-lawsuit-maha-21225556.php
Consider writing about:
Your choice of recent or otherwise noteworthy developments involving PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), whether involving lawsuits against consumer product manufacturers; liability shields; new or proposed laws potentially affecting the use of PFAS; or other issues of note. Also consider offering practical guidance on labeling and other disclosure practices, risk management, and related defense strategies.
Related information:
https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/02/bill-to-shield-georgia-carpet-companies-from-pfas-lawsuits-advances
Consider writing about:
Lawsuits against major social media companies over the harm they allegedly cause to younger users; recent or otherwise noteworthy developments in litigation by individuals, school districts, or others; what to watch for as cases on this front head to trial; what other tech companies may want to consider regarding their own practices and guardrails, especially as they relate to young consumers.
Related information:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meta-tiktok-youtube-trial-social-media-addiction-mental-health
Consider writing about:
Legal or regulatory woes that may be ahead, or already surfacing, for Elon Musk over sexualized deepfake images created by Grok, the chatbot crated by Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI; issues that the images are raising, in the United States, the European Union, and potentially other jurisdictions; what to know about any applicable data services regulations, data privacy laws, online protections for minors, or other existing measures that may play a role in the pursuit of claims (whether by individuals, state attorneys general, or regional regulators); whether prior legal battles over individuals’ dissemination of non-consensual intimate images (sometimes known by the misleading term of revenge porn) or deepfake images could shed light on how legal battles over Grok’s creations may play out.
Related information:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/x-grok-ai-imagery-elon-musk-eu-uk-us-regulation
https://www.theverge.com/news/868239/x-grok-sexualized-deepfakes-eu-investigation
https://www.theverge.com/policy/857924/x-grok-ai-chatbot-bikini-images-regulators-congress
Consider writing about:
Recent jury verdicts against Johnson & Johnson over alleged health impacts to consumers resulting from their use of the company’s personal care products containing talc; factors that may have contributed to the dollar size of the verdicts; how trials over these products are trending; new developments involving expert testimony and what they could mean for the outcome of still unresolved claims regarding talc-based products’ health impacts.
Related information:
https://thedailyrecord.com/2025/12/23/baltimore-jury-johnson-johnson-talc-mesothelioma-verdict
Consider writing about:
Your choice of three or more noteworthy product liability developments or trends from 2025, whether involving verdicts, settlements, regulatory actions, emerging technologies, or other evolving risk areas. What stood out to you, and why? Decide whether to focus on a particular industry, region, or product type, or whether to be more expansive in your approach – and consider including implications for the year ahead or action-oriented takeaways.
Consider writing about:
A Dec. 22 civil enforcement action filed by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Product Safety Commission over alleged violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act; significance of this action; practical takeaways regarding handling of external reports of product defects, failure to adequately respond to, or report, suspected product problems, and associated liability risks.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
A $40 million verdict reached by a Los Angeles jury in a trial over two women’s ovarian cancer, which they allege was linked to their long-time use of Johnson & Johnson products; what to know about bellwether trials; how the outcome of the Los Angeles trial compares to the results of other litigation against J&J over personal care products containing talc; where industry’s use of talc in personal care products stands currently.
Related information:
Consider writing about:
A lawsuit filed by the city of San Francisco against top food manufacturers, whom the city alleges “engineered a public health crisis;” key claims and remedies sought in the lawsuit; what constitutes a public health matter; what is meant by “ultraprocessed” foods (whether there is one commonly agreed upon definition or standard); how the legal or regulatory landscape regarding these food products may be shifting; what to make of the strategy of using a public nuisance statute to sue food companies (and how this compares to other uses of public nuisance statutes to pursue makers of allegedly harmful products).
Related information:
https://www.npr.org/2025/12/03/g-s1-100212/san-francisco-sues-manufacturers-ultraprocessed-foods
Consider writing about:
Concerns that dozens of state attorneys general raised in a recent letter to major tech companies over AI bots’ interactions with minors; potential remedies sought by the state AGs; potential significance or practical impact of the AGs’ joint letter; most likely areas of liability for tech companies as regards their actions’ alleged impacts on minors; what AI companies should consider doing in view of the state AGs’ letter (whether a given company was named in the letter or not).
Related information:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/state-attorneys-general-warn-microsoft-001343670.html
Consider writing about:
Settlement agreements that Monsanto recently announced with Illinois and West Virginia over PCB production and alleged contamination; other noteworthy claims that Monsanto is facing over alleged PCB contamination and related health claims; what to know about the history of PCBs in the United States; how litigation over PCBs has evolved over the years.
Related information:
https://www.bayer.com/en/litigation-statement/settlement-west-virginia-and-illinois
https://www.compassvermont.com/p/vermont-supreme-court-ruling-opens
Consider writing about:
Recent developments involving litigation against social media companies over their platforms’ alleged negative effects on younger users’ mental well-being. What are some of the noteworthy claims being pursued against these companies? What is the status of these claims, and what should interested parties be watching for as the cases go to trial? Are claims against these companies barred, or limited, under the Communications Decency Act. Why or why not?
Related information:
https://deadline.com/2025/11/social-media-lawsuit-zuckerberg-testify-1236609558
Consider writing about:
At least two recent cases involving San Francisco traffic mishaps in which pets were struck (and in one case, killed) by Waymo robo-taxis. As robo-taxi services expand their operations into multiple cities or states, we may see more of these types of incidents, whether involving Waymo itself or other companies. What laws apply in these instances? Where might liability lie, vis a vis the autonomous vehicle companies or pet caretakers? More generally speaking, how is injury to, or loss of, a pet treated under the law, and how might it differ among jurisdictions? Under the law, how does the loss of a pet compare to the loss of an animal used in a business (whether an agricultural operation or otherwise)? And are regulators eyeing tighter rules for autonomous vehicles in the wake of the San Francisco accidents (or similar incidents elsewhere, if any)?
Related information:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/waymo-robotaxi-hits-dog-san-033406617.html
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/waymo-killed-cat-21138679.php
Consider writing about:
How litigation over alleged health impacts from products containing talc is leading to insurance disputes; any noteworthy developments on this front, from either an insurer or insured perspective; what companies facing the threat of talc-related litigation should consider regarding their insurance coverage; type of coverage they may want to obtain; related information about limitations or exclusions to be aware of.
Related information: