Google’s YouTube settles case over social media harm to children

CALIFORNIA - Google’s YouTube has settled a lawsuit brought by a minor who claimed the platform damaged his mental health, his lawyers said on June 23, ahead of a second California trial over social media’s role in the youth mental health crisis.

The terms of the settlement of the state court lawsuit were confidential, the lawyers said on Tuesday. The suit named four defendants – YouTube, Meta’s Instagram, Snap’s Snapchat and ByteDance’s TikTok – and the remaining three companies are still set to face trial in July.

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in a statement that the lawsuit had been amicably resolved. “Our focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls that deliver on that promise,” Castaneda said.

John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott, attorneys for the plaintiff, known by his initials R.K.C., said in a statement: “YouTube’s decision to resolve this case before having to face a jury speaks for itself.”

“We will continue fighting on behalf of all those affected by social media addiction to bring these companies to justice and compel them to prioritise the safety of their young users over their bottom lines.”

R.K.C., a 16-year-old boy from Florida, said he started using social media when he was about eight, according to court filings. He became addicted to it, losing sleep and suffering from depression and anxiety, according to the filings.

R.K.C.’s lawsuit is set to be the second trial in California state court testing claims by individuals who say they were harmed by social media platforms deliberately designed to be addictive. The trial is scheduled to kick off July 27.

More than 3,300 lawsuits involving addiction claims against social media companies are pending in California state court.

Another 2,600 cases brought by individuals, school districts, municipalities and states are pending in California federal court.

The companies have denied the allegations and say they take extensive steps ⁠to keep teens and young users safe on their platforms.

The first trial, which ended in March, was in the case of a woman who said ⁠she became addicted to YouTube and Meta’s Instagram at a ​young age because of their attention-grabbing design.

A jury found the companies negligent ​and ordered Meta to pay US$4.2 million (S$5.4 million) in damages and Google to pay US$1.8 million.

Earlier this month, the judge rejected the companies’ bid to set aside that verdict.

The first trial in federal court had been set to begin in June in a lawsuit brought by a Kentucky school district against Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube.

All of the companies settled before trial are paying the district a combined US$27 million.

In addition to the cases in Los Angeles and in federal court, nearly every state in the country has filed lawsuits in its local courts against the companies.

The lawsuits accuse the companies of misrepresenting the safety of their platforms for young users and of designing them to addict children.

In the first of the lawsuits by states to go to trial, a jury in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay the state US$375 million after finding the company misrepresented the safety of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

A judge is weighing whether to order the company to make changes to its platforms as part of a separate phase in the lawsuit.

Meta will face a trial in a lawsuit brought by Tennessee next month.

In August, a trial in federal court over the combined claims of multiple states will go forward against Meta. REUTERS