Meta avoids Los Angeles trial after teen drops social media harm claims
A 15-year-old plaintiff withdrew his case against Meta after other social media companies settled claims tied to alleged youth mental health harms.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Meta will not face a Los Angeles jury next week in a teen mental health lawsuit after the 15-year-old plaintiff withdrew his claims against the company.
The case had been scheduled for trial in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles. The plaintiff, identified as R.K.C., had accused social media companies of contributing to anxiety and depression through alleged platform addiction, according to the lawsuit.
Lawyers for R.K.C. said he decided to end the case against Meta after what they described as a successful overall result in the litigation. They also said he was worried about going through a weeks-long trial and wanted to focus on recovery, therapy and a return to normal life.
Meta says no payment was made
Meta said the teen dropped the claims after reaching settlements with other social media companies named in the case.
A Meta spokesperson said R.K.C. abandoned the case against Meta, the last remaining defendant, without any payment from the company. The spokesperson said Meta believed the claims lacked support and that the result showed the company would keep defending itself against lawsuits it considers baseless.
According to Meta, the evidence in the case could not show that its platforms caused R.K.C.'s mental health issues. The company had previously argued in a motion for summary judgment that R.K.C. did not spend substantial time on Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Meta also said it could not confirm that he had a lengthy account history on its services.
Other platforms settled before trial
The original lawsuit also named Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, according to the case. Those companies reached settlement agreements with R.K.C. before the matter reached a jury.
R.K.C. alleged in the lawsuit that he became addicted to social media across a seven-year period. He linked his anxiety and depression to heavy online use, according to the complaint.
The withdrawal spares Meta another courtroom fight over claims that social media platforms have harmed young users' mental health. The company has been sued in multiple cases brought by teenagers, parents, school districts and state officials.
Earlier verdict put Meta and YouTube on the hook
In March, Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay $6 million to another teen plaintiff who accused several social media companies of knowingly building features meant to keep users engaged despite alleged risks. A jury found Meta and YouTube liable for mental health-related harms tied to negligent design features and alleged social media addiction.
That verdict marked the first time a jury found social media companies responsible for psychological effects of their platforms on teens, according to reporting on the case.
Meta said at the time that it would appeal. A company spokesperson said after the March verdict that teen mental health is complex and cannot be tied to one app, and said Meta would continue defending itself because each case is different. The company also said it remained confident in its record on protecting teens online.
This story draws on original reporting from Mashable.