Meta settles social media addiction lawsuit, averting trial

Meta has settled a social media addiction lawsuit, resolving claims against the technology giant before the case was set to go to trial next month, according to a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs.

The suit was brought by two plaintiffs in 2023 who alleged that Meta and Snapchat parent company Snap, which remains a defendant in the case, designed their social media platforms to foster addictive behavior. Jury selection began this week in Los Angeles, with opening statements expected to begin in early November.

The plaintiffs, a 16-year-old girl identified in court documents as S.J., and an 18-year-old woman identified as K.D.B., originally also sued TikTok and Alphabet's YouTube platform, but settled with the companies.

"We remain committed to improving safety for kids on social media apps and holding tech companies accountable, and we are pleased to have brought this matter to a just resolution on behalf of our client," Emily Jeffcott, the trial counsel for K.D.B., said in a statement. 

Terms of Meta's settlement were not disclosed. The lead counsel for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

A spokesperson for Meta, which still faces similar litigation alleging that its social platforms harm users' mental health, said the company will continue to defend itself in court.

"Trials, dismissals and settlements are all common in the bellwether process, and this litigation is no exception," she said in a statement. "We will continue to defend ourselves in court, and we stand by our record. We've spent more than a decade building protections for teens, and our agreement with 52 bipartisan attorneys general goes even further with strict time limits, no access at night, and no notifications during school hours." 

The trial is now set to focus on the plaintiffs' claims against Snap. Both have said in court filings that using Snapchat from a young age contributed to mental health problems. Lawyers for the plaintiffs have said they expect the trial to last into mid-December.

Snap did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to dozens of states that alleged the company used its social platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, to hook young internet users while concealing the risks.