Meta Platforms has reached a settlement with a teenage plaintiff who alleged that the design of Instagram and Facebook contributed to her addiction, resulting in mental health issues and disordered eating, as stated by the plaintiff’s attorneys on Friday.
This settlement was finalized just after jury selection commenced on Wednesday for a trial that involved two teenagers, referred to as S.J. and K.D.B., in their claims against both Meta and Snap, the parent company of Snapchat.
With Meta settling with S.J. just days before the trial, K.D.B.’s settlement on Friday indicates that only the case against Snap is set to proceed.
“We are dedicated to enhancing safety for children on social media and holding tech companies accountable, and we’re glad to have resolved this matter fairly for our client,” stated Emily Jeffcott, an attorney representing K.D.B.
This trial marks the second case in Los Angeles state court where young individuals assert that they became addicted to social media due to designs by companies like Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube that encourage compulsive usage.
S.J. and K.D.B. have already reached settlements with TikTok and YouTube.
The case was chosen among many pending lawsuits as a pilot case, meaning the jury’s decision could set a precedent for how these companies and plaintiffs handle similar cases moving forward.
S.J., a 16-year-old from Illinois, alongside K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi, reported they began using YouTube as early as three and the other platforms around age nine, developing compulsive behaviors they attribute to features like autoplay and infinite scrolling.
The companies involved have denied the allegations, asserting that their platforms were not designed to be addictive and that they have taken steps to create safer environments for young users.
Social media companies are facing a multitude of lawsuits in both federal and state courts, brought by individuals and various government entities, who claim that these companies have intentionally sought to hook children to their platforms, contributing to a wider youth mental health crisis that includes anxiety, depression, and even suicide.
In a previous case that went to trial in March, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and YouTube negligent, awarding a young woman $6 million in damages.
The subsequent two teens whose cases were selected for trial either settled or withdrew their claims against the companies.
The first school district chosen for trial also chose to settle with all involved companies.
In August, Meta agreed to settlements totaling up to $18 billion with nearly all states and U.S. territories to conclude lawsuits initiated by attorneys general regarding the harm to teenagers and committed to modifying Instagram and Facebook for younger users.
Earlier this month, a judge in New Mexico mandated Meta to pay a $25 billion penalty after a jury found that the company had misled Facebook users regarding data privacy and its management of hate speech. The company has indicated it will appeal this decision.
