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YouTube, Snap Settle Lawsuits Over Youth Mental Health Crisis
16 May
Summary
- YouTube and Snap settled lawsuits blaming them for youth mental health crisis.
- Kentucky school district's case against Meta and TikTok is still proceeding.
- Jury found Meta and Google negligent in a prior social media addiction trial.
Alphabet's YouTube and Snap have reached settlements in a significant lawsuit alleging they contributed to a youth mental health crisis. These settlements resolve claims filed by the Breathitt County School District in Eastern Kentucky, with terms not publicly disclosed. The district's case aimed to compel social media companies to fund efforts combating student mental health issues.
The Kentucky school district sought over $60 million to counteract social media's impact and establish a 15-year mental health program. They also requested a court order to modify addictive platform features. This case was considered a bellwether for over a thousand similar lawsuits filed by school districts nationwide.
Meta Platforms and TikTok are still set to face trial on June 15 regarding the district's claims. This litigation follows a landmark trial where a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Alphabet's Google negligent for creating social media platforms deemed harmful to young people. That jury awarded $6 million to a plaintiff who developed a childhood addiction to social media.
