Meta has reached a settlement with a second teen plaintiff who alleged that Facebook and Instagram are addictive and caused severe mental health problems, legal representatives confirmed Friday. The plaintiff, identified in court documents as K.D.B., settled on terms that remain confidential.
The agreement follows a similar settlement reached just one day prior with another teen plaintiff, S.J., who had brought parallel claims against the tech conglomerate. In the weeks leading up to the trial, both TikTok and YouTube also reached agreements to resolve claims brought against them by S.J. and K.D.B.
“We remain committed to improving safety for kids on social media apps and holding tech companies accountable, and we are pleased to have brought this matter to a just resolution on behalf of our client,” Emily Jeffcott, trial counsel for K.D.B., said in a statement.
With Meta, TikTok, and YouTube exiting the trial, Snap Inc. now stands as the sole defendant in the proceedings, which commenced this week in Los Angeles with jury selection. Opening arguments are scheduled for November 4. In their lawsuit, K.D.B. and S.J. alleged that Snap engineered Snapchat with features designed to maximize young users’ screen time. The complaint targeted mechanics such as Snapstreaks, Snapscores, and interactive filters, which the plaintiffs argued promoted compulsive engagement and contributed to serious physical and psychological harm, including self-harm.
The active courtroom battle represents the fourth bellwether trial in a consolidated group of legal actions. More than 1,600 plaintiffs—including over 350 families and more than 250 school districts—have accused major tech corporations of knowingly designing addictive products that endanger the mental well-being of young users. Historically, social media companies have relied heavily on Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 for legal protection against liability for user-posted content.
Meta has consistently denied that its platforms are intentionally addictive or harmful to youth. In March, a Los Angeles jury handed down a verdict in a landmark trial, finding Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent in the design and operation of Instagram and YouTube. The jury determined that both companies failed to adequately warn users of potential dangers and that their negligence contributed substantially to the harms suffered by the plaintiff, then 20-year-old K.G.M. The court awarded $3 million in compensatory damages, holding Meta 70% responsible and YouTube 30% responsible.
Subsequent legal pressures have mounted significantly for Meta. In August, the company agreed to an approximately $18 billion settlement to resolve a sweeping social media addiction lawsuit filed by California and 28 other states. Court filings noted that Meta denies all allegations of liability in that multi-state agreement.
A spokesperson for Meta stated Friday that the company will continue to defend itself against remaining claims and emphasized its ongoing safety initiatives. The representative pointed to a recent agreement with 52 bipartisan attorneys general that implements strict time limits, overnight access restrictions, and the suspension of notifications during school hours.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Snap defended its platform’s architecture, noting that Snapchat opens directly to a camera interface rather than a traditional social feed or comparative ranking metrics. The company maintained that built-in safeguards and educational resources demonstrate a commitment to putting its community first, arguing that the plaintiffs’ allegations fundamentally misrepresent the platform’s design and user experiences.
