TikTok settles with Florida teenager ahead of youth social media harm trial

TikTok settles with US teenager ahead of social media addiction trial

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) —  TikTok settled a lawsuit with a teenager just weeks before the company was set to go to trial in a second landmark case over whether social media companies are responsible for the harms their products might cause. The 15-year-old Florida teenager, identified only by his initials R.K.C., has accused four social media companies of harming his mental health and previously reached a settlement agreement with YouTube on June 23. This leaves only Meta and Snapchat as defendants in the trial, which is scheduled to begin July 27 in Los Angeles. "We can confirm that a settlement in principle has been reached with TikTok," law firm Morgan & Morgan, which represents the teenager, told AFP on Wednesday without specifying the terms. TikTok also previously settled a similar case, the first of its kind, in January before the trial started. This second trial, to be held in a Los Angeles courtroom, is considered another benchmark for how thousands of social media addiction lawsuits could play out in the United States. The Florida teenager claims that years of compulsive social media use contributed to severe psychological disorders -– anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts –- for which he is still receiving treatment. "These social media companies have been strategising for years to hook children early and maximise their usage with insidious features like autoplay and infinite scroll, all with the aim of increasing profits at the expense of the mental health of our youth," the plaintiff's attorneys at Morgan & Morgan said in a statement after settling with YouTube. In March, a Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and Google, YouTube's parent company, to pay the young woman known as K.G.M. $6 million. TikTok and Snap both settled before the trial without any admission of liability. In May, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube agreed to pay about $27 million to a school district in Kentucky to avoid a trial. That case was also seen as a test for around 1,200 other lawsuits filed by representatives of 13,000 public schools nationwide. In a separate case that could go to trial in August in Oakland, more than thirty US states are suing Meta over similar allegations.

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TikTok Settles Lawsuit Accusing Social Media Giants Of Harming Florida Boy

TikTok Settles Lawsuit Accusing Social Media Giants Of Harming Florida Boy TikTok has reached a settlement with a Florida teenager who blamed the platform and other social media companies for fueling his addiction, leading to depression, anxiety, and sleep loss, just ahead of a trial to determine the industry’s part in the youth mental health crisis. The settlement, made public Tuesday, lays to rest claims against ByteDance’s TikTok related to the lawsuit filed by the boy. Details of the settlement were not disclosed. Trials against Meta’s Instagram and Snap’s Snapchat remain scheduled for July in California. According to court filings, the plaintiff argues he began using social media at approximately age 8 and became addicted. As Kimberley Hayek reports for The Epoch Times, the case is one of many taking aim at social media companies, accusing them of designing the platforms to addict young users. Earlier this month, YouTube settled with the same plaintiff. “YouTube’s decision to resolve this case before having to face a jury speaks for itself,” the plaintiff’s attorneys from Morgan & Morgan stated in that settlement. “We will continue fighting on behalf of all those affected by social media addiction to bring these companies to justice and compel them to prioritize the safety of their young users over their bottom lines.” In March, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Google liable for harms to a young woman, awarding damages after findings of negligence tied to addictive design features. Jurors found the platforms contributed to addiction and mental health issues, leading to millions in compensatory and punitive damages. A judge upheld the verdict this month. More than 3,300 addiction-related lawsuits remain pending in California state court, with thousands more pending in federal court. School districts and states have also pursued claims, with some settlements reached, such as a Kentucky district’s agreement with several platforms. The TikTok settlement allows the company to avoid what would have been only the second individual trial of its kind in California over social media’s impact on minors. Plaintiffs in these cases argue that features, such as endless scrolling, personalized algorithms, and notifications create a “vicious cycle” of engagement that does harm to young brains. Tech companies argue they have implemented parental controls, age-appropriate tools, and other safeguards for young users. Google, for instance, has underscored its safety efforts in statements regarding the YouTube settlement. “Our focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls that deliver on that promise,” Google spokesman José Castañeda said in a statement.  Prolonged social media use has increased risks of depression and self-harm among young people, according to a recent study by the Medical Journal of Australia. Tyler Durden Wed, 07/01/2026 - 15:25

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