Meta has avoided a closely-watched jury trial after a Florida teenager dropped his lawsuit today accusing the Facebook and Instagram parent company of contributing to his depression, anxiety and social media addiction.
The plaintiff, identified in court filings as R.K.C., voluntarily dismissed his claims against Meta just days before trial was scheduled to begin in Los Angeles. The lawsuit alleged that Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok were intentionally designed to be addictive, leading to compulsive use that harmed his mental health after he began using the platforms at around age 8.
The case had already narrowed considerably ahead of trial. YouTube and TikTok reached confidential settlements with the plaintiff in June, while Bloomberg reported earlier this week that Snap had also reached a tentative settlement in the case. Rather than proceed against Meta alone, the teen elected to withdraw his remaining claims.
“In light of the overall successful result of the litigation and his concerns about enduring a grueling weeks-long trial, he has elected to withdraw his claims against Meta,” the plaintiff’s attorneys said in a statement. “He’s ready to close this chapter and focus on his recovery and engage in therapy as he aspires to have a normal life.”
Meta said the lawsuit was dismissed without any payment from the company.
“The claims never held up, and this outcome makes clear that we will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
While the dismissal spares Meta from having to defend itself before a jury in this case, the company continues to face a broader wave of litigation over the alleged impact of social media on young users. Meta, Google, Snap and TikTok are among the companies facing hundreds of lawsuits brought by families, school districts and state attorneys general over claims that their platforms were designed to maximize engagement despite the potential risks to children and teens.
