Meta settles social media addiction lawsuit, averting trial

Key points

• Meta settled a social media addiction lawsuit brought by an 18-year-old woman identified as K.D.B.
• Snap remains a defendant, and jury selection began this week in Los Angeles.
• Meta will continue defending itself in similar litigation, a spokesperson said.

Meta has settled a social media addiction lawsuit, resolving claims against the company 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 an 18-year-old woman identified in court documents as K.D.B., who alleged that Meta and Snapchat parent company Snap designed their platforms to foster addictive behavior. Snap remains a defendant in the case.

Another plaintiff, identified as S.J., settled with Meta last week. Terms of Meta's settlement were not disclosed. S.J. and K.D.B. also originally sued TikTok and Alphabet's YouTube, which each separately settled before trial.

Claims against Snap proceed

A spokesperson for the Lanier Law Firm, representing the plaintiffs, said they will proceed with their complaint against Snap. The spokesperson said each plaintiff alleges that Snap designed Snapchat to maximize the time young users spend on the app, using features such as Snapstreaks, Snapscores, push notifications, and filters, and that compulsive use caused and contributed to severe mental and physical health injuries, including depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, and self-harm. Snap disputes the allegations and has defended its practices.

Jury selection began this week in Los Angeles, with opening statements expected in early November. Lawyers for the plaintiffs have said they expect the trial to last into mid-December.

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

What the parties said

Emily Jeffcott, trial counsel for K.D.B., said in a statement that the plaintiffs remain committed to improving safety for kids on social media apps and holding tech companies accountable, and are pleased to have brought the matter to a just resolution for their client.

A Meta spokesperson, who said the company still faces similar litigation alleging its platforms harm users' mental health, said trials, dismissals and settlements are common in the bellwether process. She said Meta will continue to defend itself in court and stands by its record, citing more than a decade of building protections for teens and an agreement with 52 bipartisan attorneys general. In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion to dozens of states that alleged it used Facebook and Instagram to hook young internet users while concealing the risks.