TikTok settled the first of several product liability cases Monday,avoiding a landmark trial that threatened to reshape how social media companies interact with young users and potentially expose tech giants to billions in damages.
The settlement occurred as jury selection prepared to begin Tuesday in los Angeles County Superior Court, following a similar agreement last week between Snap and the same plaintiff – a woman from Chico, California, who alleges social media addiction began in elementary school.
“This settlement confirms the damning evidence is just the beginning,” stated Sacha Haworth, executive director of the Tech Oversight Project, an industry watchdog.“This case is one of hundreds involving parents and school districts in social media addiction trials, with new families daily taking Big Tech to court for deliberately harmful products.”
TikTok did not respond to requests for comment.
“The parties are pleased to have resolved this matter amicably,” said Snap spokeswoman Monique Bellamy regarding the settlement.
Meta, Instagram’s parent company, and Google’s youtube still face accusations that their products are “defective” and intentionally designed to addict children, despite known harms.
these arguments form the core of at least 2,500 pending cases in state and federal courts. The Los Angeles trial is one of several bellwether trials intended to establish legal precedent.
Social media companies currently benefit from 1st Amendment protections and Section 230, a law shielding internet companies from liability for user-generated content.
Attorneys representing the Chico plaintiff, identified as K.G.M. in court documents, argue the apps were engineered to attract and retain young users, disregarding known dangers like sexual predation, bullying, and the promotion of self-harm and suicide.
The jury will determine whether these dangers are incidental or inherent to the platforms and if social media companies bear obligation for the harm families attribute to their children’s online experiences.
Tuesday morning,potential jurors gathered outside Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl’s courtroom, many using social apps on their phones.Some watched short-form videos, while others scrolled through feeds, occasionally liking posts.
Instagram is 15 years old, and YouTube is nearly 21. Finding Los Angeles residents unfamiliar with either platform is unlikely. The trial occurs as public opinion of social media declines, with increasing concern among parents, mental health professionals, lawmakers, and even children themselves about the platforms’ impact.
