Google-owned YouTube has settled a lawsuit brought by a teenage plaintiff who claimed the platform harmed his mental health, avoiding what would have been the second California trial over allegations that social media companies fuel youth addiction.
The settlement, announced on Tuesday (23 June), comes as legal battles continue against Meta’s Instagram, Snap Inc.’s Snapchat and ByteDance’s TikTok, which remain due to face trial in July.
The plaintiff, identified as R.K.C., alleged he began using social media at around eight years old and developed addiction, sleep deprivation, depression and anxiety as a result.
The lawsuit is one of more than 3,300 similar cases pending in California state court, alongside another 2,600 in federal court, accusing social media companies of designing addictive platforms that harm young users. The companies deny wrongdoing and say they have introduced protections for teens.
The case follows a landmark California jury verdict in March, which found Google and Meta negligent in a similar addiction case and ordered them to pay millions in damages.
The youth mental health litigation has expanded beyond individual cases, with school districts, municipalities and nearly every U.S. state filing lawsuits against the companies.
Earlier this year, a Kentucky school district settled claims with YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat, while New Mexico won a $375 million judgment against Meta in a separate youth safety case.
More trials are expected later this year as courts continue to test the legal responsibility of social media firms for harm to children.
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