Teen withdraws social media addiction lawsuit against Meta, Google and Snap ahead of trial

A teenager has dropped her lawsuit against Meta, YouTube and Snapchat, which was set to go to trial later this year as part of a broader series of cases accusing social media giants of designing addictive platforms. The teen, referred to as P.M.Y., previously settled with TikTok and “chose to dismiss the remainder so she...

Teen Drops Social Media Addiction Claims Against Meta, Google, & Snap, Ahead Of October Trial Authored by Kimberley Hayek via The Epoch Times, A 15-year-old New Jersey girl whose lawsuit served as a test case in litigation accusing social media companies of designing platforms to addict young users dropped her remaining claims Thursday against Meta Platforms, Google, and Snap Inc. The plaintiff, identified in California court records only as P. M-Y., had alleged the owners of Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat contributed to her social media addiction, depression, and self-harm. She dismissed the case without any payment from the three companies, according to a court filing and statements from the defendants. TikTok, also named in the suit, had settled earlier. Emily Jeffcott, an attorney for P. M-Y., said her client chose to end the remaining claims so she could try to resume her life. She “initiated this process with the goal of holding social media companies accountable and to push for changes to protect young people like herself,” Jeffcott said. More than 3,300 personal injury cases filed by individuals have been consolidated in California state court in Los Angeles. P. M-Y.’s lawsuit was selected as one of three “bellwether” or test cases set to go to trial in October. Attorneys use such trials to determine how juries may react to similar claims and to help set values for settlement talks. Two other teen plaintiffs with similar allegations against the same companies remain scheduled for October trials. TikTok has already settled those cases, as well. Platforms Defend Safeguards Meta said in a statement that the plaintiff had a significant mental health condition that pre-dated her use of social media and that many of these cases fit the same pattern. The company added it would vigorously defend against the remaining suits. Google-owned YouTube said the decision to drop the case affirms “our longstanding position that we provide safe, age-appropriate experiences and strong parental controls for young people and families.” A Snap spokesperson said the company remains focused on strengthening safeguards, tools and educational resources to support users’ safety, privacy, and well-being. The broader litigation includes claims by individuals, states, and school districts that features such as infinite scroll, algorithmic recommendations, and autoplay promote compulsive use and contribute to youth mental health problems. The companies have denied the allegations and say they take extensive steps to keep teens safe. A previous case concluded in July when a Florida teen dropped his claims against Meta after the other defendants settled. In March, a Los Angeles jury awarded $4.2 million against Meta and $1.8 million against Google in a case brought by a woman who said she became addicted to the platforms at a young age, with TikTok and Snap settling that case before trial. Related litigation continues on other fronts, with 29 states pursuing a federal trial in Oakland, California, that began this week. They accuse Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to hook young users, fueling anxiety, depression, and even suicide, and of misleading the public about safety. Meta has rejected those claims, arguing that “social media addiction” is not an established psychiatric condition and that it complied with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google liable for $6 million in damages in the first individual social media addiction trial to reach a verdict. Jurors decided the companies’ platforms contributed to the plaintiff’s psychological harms. Snap and TikTok had settled before that trial began. A New Mexico judge earlier this month ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a child mental health fund after finding the company’s platforms contributed to the state’s youth mental health crisis. Meta faces additional pressure from state attorneys general and school districts in multiple jurisdictions. Tyler Durden Fri, 08/21/2026 - 09:25

A 15-year-old girl in California has withdrawn her lawsuit against Meta, Google and Snap, ending one of three closely watched cases that were meant to test claims that social media platforms harm the mental health of young users.Case was part of over 3,300 lawsuitsThe teenager, identified in court filings as P. M-Y, had accused the companies of building features that fuelled her social media addiction, depression and self-harm. Her case was among more than 3,300 personal injury lawsuits filed in California by individuals against social media firms, and it was one of three selected to be heard first as bellwether trials meant to guide how juries might view similar claims. The case had been scheduled for trial in October, reports Reuters.'Safety Was An Afterthought': Ex-Meta Director Accuses Instagram Of Putting Growth Over Child SafetyTikTok was also named as a defendant in her suit but had already reached a settlement with her before the case was dropped.Teen chose to move on, says lawyerAccording to the companies, the teenager withdrew her claims without any payment or settlement. Her attorney, Emily Jeffcott, said the teenager had filed the case seeking accountability from the platforms and hoping to push for stronger protections for young users online, but ultimately decided that moving forward with her own life mattered more than continuing the legal fight.Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the teenager had a pre-existing significant mental health condition before she began using social media, and added that it would continue to defend itself against the remaining lawsuits. YouTube's parent Google said the withdrawal supported its position that the platform offers age-appropriate, safe experiences backed by parental control tools. Snap said its focus remains on safety, privacy and features designed to support user well-being.Two more cases headed to trial in OctoberThe other two bellwether cases, both also involving teenage plaintiffs with similar claims against the platforms, remain on track for trial in October. TikTok has already settled its portion of both of these cases.Earlier this year, a related case produced the first major individual verdict in this wave of litigation, when a woman who said she developed a social media addiction as a young user won $4.2 million in damages from Meta and $1.8 million from Google. TikTok and Snap, also named in that case, had settled before it went to trial.

A 15-year-old from New Jersey has dropped her case against Meta, Google, and Snap seven weeks before it was due to be heard in Los Angeles. Her lawyer said she wanted to get on with her life. The case was one of three bellwethers set for trial in October in California state court, chosen to […] This story continues at The Next Web

The plaintiff, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey identified in California court records as PM-Y, had alleged the platforms' owners -- Meta Platforms, Google, and Snap Inc -- contributed to her social media addiction, depression, and self-harm.

The plaintiff, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, drops her claims without any payment. TikTok, which was also a defendant in her case, had previously settled her claims.

The plaintiff, a 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, had alleged that tech giants contributed to her social media addiction, depression and self-harm.

A 15-year-old New Jersey girl alleged that social media platforms owned by Meta, Google and Snap contributed to her addiction, depression and self-harm.