Meta Platforms has settled with a Mississippi teenager during jury selection in the second Los Angeles trial over claims that social media apps were designed to hook children, leaving Snap Inc. as the only company still facing the jury.
Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl of Los Angeles County Superior Court was told of the settlement with the plaintiff, an 18-year-old identified as K.D.B., on Thursday night, and it was announced Friday. Terms were not made public. Meta had already settled with the trial’s other plaintiff, a 16-year-old from Illinois identified as S.J., days before jury selection began on October 28.
With both plaintiffs settled, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will not have to take the stand in this trial. Judge Kuhl had ordered him to testify over Meta’s objection.
What K.D.B. Alleged
K.D.B. alleged she became addicted to Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat as a child. The two plaintiffs allege their compulsive use contributed to depression, anxiety, disordered eating, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. K.D.B. sued in 2023. Her claims against Meta are now resolved, but her claims against Snap remain.
Meta said it will continue to defend itself in court and stands by its record, pointing to the teen protections it has added to its apps. K.D.B.’s trial lawyer, Emily Jeffcott of Morgan & Morgan, said the legal team was pleased to reach a just resolution for its client and remains committed to holding tech companies accountable and improving children’s safety on social media.
Snap Faces Its First Jury
This is the first time Snap has faced a jury over these claims. It settled with the plaintiff in the first Los Angeles trial before that case reached jurors. TikTok and YouTube settled with both S.J. and K.D.B. before this trial began.
The two girls allege that Snapchat features such as Snapstreaks, push notifications and view counts drove compulsive use. Snap disputes the claims, saying Snapchat opens to a camera rather than a feed and that the lawsuits misrepresent the plaintiffs’ experiences on its app. Opening statements are expected November 4, and before Meta settled, the plaintiffs’ lawyers had expected the trial to run into mid-December. For background on the case, see Jury Selection Starts in Meta and Snap Teen Addiction Trial. For what the settlement means for families, see Meta Settles Before Jury Hears Teen’s Social Media Claims.
Meta Still Faces Thousands of Claims
The settlement ends only K.D.B.’s case against Meta. Meta still faces thousands of lawsuits pending in California state court and in the federal multidistrict litigation in Oakland, which holds more than 3,800 cases, and more state court bellwether trials are scheduled for 2027. A bellwether is a test case whose result helps both sides gauge how juries may view similar claims.
In the first Los Angeles trial, a jury on March 25, 2026, found Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent and awarded a young woman identified as K.G.M. $6 million. Judge Kuhl denied the companies’ post-trial motions in June, and the verdict is on appeal.
Meta’s August settlements with state attorneys general pay the states, not families. Families who want compensation must file their own claims. For the full picture, see the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Update and our Meta and Instagram lawsuit page.
Doyle APC handles social media addiction lawsuits together with experienced co-counsel.
Common Questions
How much did Meta pay to settle K.D.B.’s case?
The terms were not made public.
Is the trial still going forward?
Yes, against Snap only. Both plaintiffs’ claims against Snap remain, and opening statements are expected in early November.
Is the social media addiction lawsuit a class action?
No. It is a mass tort. Each person files an individual claim, and the claims are coordinated before one judge in California state court and before one judge in federal court for pretrial proceedings and test trials.
Does Meta’s settlement with K.D.B. pay other families?
No. It resolves only her case. Meta’s August settlements with state attorneys general pay the states, not families, so families must file their own claims to seek compensation.
Can families still file a claim?
Yes. New claims are still being filed in state and federal court. Deadlines, known as statutes of limitations, vary by state and often run from when an injury was diagnosed, so it is worth acting soon.
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