Meta's Oct. 30 settlement in a consolidated Los Angeles social media case leaves Snap facing the remaining claims, after Meta had already resolved claims from one plaintiff, ahead of Nov. 4 opening statements.
The plaintiffs' lawyers announced the latest agreement Friday, Oct. 30, two days after jury selection began. The settlement terms were not disclosed. Snap could still settle; if the trial proceeds, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is expected to testify.
The plaintiffs, identified in court as SJ and KDB, say they began using social media apps at ages 13 and 15, respectively. Their lawyers say the young women were exposed to apps they describe as “addictive and problematic,” according to court documents.
Meta had settled with SJ before Friday’s agreement. The plaintiffs’ lawyers said TikTok and YouTube had also settled with both plaintiffs. A California state judge combined the two cases for trial. Snap has disputed the plaintiffs’ account, saying it will present evidence about the company’s community-focused decisions and challenge their descriptions of Snapchat and its design.
The development follows EconoTimes’ earlier report on Snap’s expected role in the trial. A Meta spokesperson described trials, dismissals and settlements as routine outcomes in the Los Angeles bellwether cases, a series of test cases against the company.
AFP reported, citing people close to Meta, that business considerations drove the company’s decision to settle. The case is among thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging that social media companies harmed children and teenagers.
In an earlier Los Angeles bellwether trial, a jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a different young user and ordered them to pay $6 million combined, AFP reported. Snap and TikTok had settled with that plaintiff before the trial. Opening statements in the current case are scheduled for Nov. 4 if it goes forward.
