Meta has reached a settlement with an 18-year-old woman who accused the company of building addictive platforms, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs said. The deal leaves Snap, the parent of Snapchat, as the remaining defendant in a case that was headed to trial next month.
The woman is identified in court filings only as K.D.B. Financial terms of her agreement with Meta were not made public. A second plaintiff, known as S.J., settled her own claims against Meta a week earlier.
We remain committed to improving safety for kids on social media apps and holding tech companies accountable
Emily Jeffcott, trial counsel for K.D.B.
The two women had also originally named TikTok and Alphabet's YouTube as defendants. Both companies resolved their claims separately before trial.
Claims against Snap
Both plaintiffs contend that social media platforms contributed to their mental health struggles. Joseph VanZandt, a Beasley Allen attorney who represents S.J., said the plaintiffs will press forward against Snap.
According to VanZandt, the plaintiffs allege Snapchat was engineered to keep young people on the app as long as possible through features including Snapstreaks, Snapscores, push notifications and filters. He said they claim compulsive use led to depression, anxiety, an eating disorder and self-harm. Snap disputes the allegations and has defended its practices.
Jury selection got underway this week in Los Angeles, and opening statements are expected in early November. Plaintiffs' lawyers have said they anticipate the trial running into mid-December.
Meta's broader legal exposure
Meta still faces other lawsuits claiming its platforms damage users' mental health. A company spokesperson said settlements, dismissals and trials are routine in bellwether litigation and that Meta will keep fighting in court.
The spokesperson pointed to more than a decade of teen safeguards and an agreement with 52 bipartisan attorneys general that imposes strict time limits, blocks nighttime access and halts notifications during school hours. Separately, Meta committed in August to paying as much as $17.1 billion to resolve claims by dozens of states that it used Facebook, Instagram and other platforms to hook young users while hiding the risks.
