Key facts
- Meta Platforms settled with a teen plaintiff on Friday.
- The settlement resolves claims that Meta designed Instagram and Facebook to be addictive, causing mental health problems and disordered eating.
- The trial against Snap Inc. is expected to proceed.
- Meta previously settled with another teen plaintiff, S.J.
- TikTok and YouTube had previously settled with the plaintiffs.
Meta Platforms has settled with a teen plaintiff who accused the company of designing Instagram and Facebook to be addictive, causing her mental health problems and disordered eating. The settlement came after jury selection began on Wednesday for a trial that was slated to test the claims of two teens against Meta and Snapchat parent Snap Inc. Meta had settled with one teen plaintiff, S.J., days before the trial, meaning the trial will now proceed against Snap only. Attorneys for the plaintiff expressed satisfaction with the resolution, emphasizing their commitment to social media safety for children. This case is one of thousands alleging that social media platforms encourage compulsive use, contributing to a youth mental health crisis. In a previous trial, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and awarded a young woman $6 million in damages. Meta also recently agreed to settlements worth up to $18 billion with nearly every state and US territory over alleged harm to teens.