Meta settles lawsuit alleging that social media is addictive, averting November 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 an 18-year-old woman identified in court documents as K.D.B. 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. Another plaintiff in the lawsuit, dubbed 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 platform, which each separately settled before trial.

The plaintiffs claim that the social media platforms contributed to their mental health struggles. 

A spokesperson for the Lanier Law Firm, which is representing the plaintiffs, said they will proceed with their complaint against Snap. 

“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 their compulsive use of Snapchat caused and contributed to severe mental and physical health injuries, including depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, and self-harm,” the spokesperson said. 

Snap disputes the allegations and has defended the company’s practices. 

Jury selection began this week in Los Angeles, with opening statements expected to begin 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, the trial counsel for K.D.B., said in a statement. 

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.” 

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.