Meta became a social media addiction processto settle claims against the technology giant before the case goes to trial next month, according to a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs.
The suit was brought by an 18-year-old woman, identified in court documents as KDB, who alleged that Meta and Snapchat parent company Snap, which remains a defendant in the case, designed their social media platforms to promote addictive behavior. Another plaintiff in the lawsuit, named SJ, settled with Meta last week.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
SJ and KDB also originally sued TikTok and Alphabet’s YouTube platform, which each settled separately before the trial.
The plaintiffs allege that the social media platforms contributed to their mental health struggles.
A spokesperson for the Lanier Law Firm, which is representing the plaintiffs, said they are moving forward with their lawsuit against Snap.
“Each plaintiff claims that Snap designed Snapchat to maximize the time that young users spend on the app, with features such as Snapstreaks, Snapscores, push notifications and filters, and that their compulsive use of Snapchat caused and contributed to severe mental and physical health injuries, including depression, anxiety, and self-esteem, and self-awareness.
Snap disputes the allegations and has defended the company’s practices.
Jury selection began this week in Los Angeles, with opening statements expected to begin in early November. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they expect the trial to last until mid-December.
“We remain committed to improving safety for children on social media apps and holding technology companies accountable, and we are pleased to have brought this matter to a just resolution on behalf of our client,” Emily Jeffcott, the litigation counsel for KDB, said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Meta, which is still facing similar lawsuits alleging its social platforms harm users’ mental health, said the company will defend itself in court.
“Trials, dismissals and settlements are all common in bellwether litigation, and this litigation is no exception,” she said in a statement. “We will continue to defend ourselves in court, and we stand by our record. We’ve spent more than a decade building shelters for youth, and our agreement with 52 bipartisan attorneys general goes even further with strict time limits, no access at night, and no notifications during school hours.”
In August, Meta agreed pay up to 17.1 billion dollars to dozens of states alleging that the company used its social platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, to hook young Internet users while hiding the risks.