Key Takeaways
- TikTok has agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off
- The social video platform was one of three companies facing claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children, along with Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube
- Snapchat’s parent company Snap Inc. settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum
- The lawsuit claims that social media companies deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to children, exacerbating mental health issues such as depression and suicidal thoughts
- The outcome of the case could have profound effects on the social media companies’ businesses and how they handle children using their platforms
Introduction to the Lawsuit
TikTok has agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off, the plaintiff’s attorneys confirmed. The social video platform was one of three companies facing claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children, along with Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube. A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. The lawsuit, which was set to go to trial, claimed that the social media companies deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to children, exacerbating mental health issues such as depression and suicidal thoughts.
The Case Against Social Media Companies
At the core of the case is a 19-year-old identified only by the initials "KGM," whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials, essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury and what damages, if any, may be awarded. The lawsuit claims that the social media companies used deliberate design choices to make their platforms more addictive to children, including techniques used by slot machines and the cigarette industry. The companies, however, dispute these claims, citing the many safeguards they have added over the years and arguing that they are not liable for content posted on their sites by third parties
