Meta Walks Away as Snap Left to Face Addiction Trial Alone
Second Deal in Two Days Clears Meta From November Trial
Meta settled with 18-year-old plaintiff K.D.B. on Oct. 30, days after settling with 16-year-old plaintiff S.J. in the same Los Angeles case. The terms of both agreements are confidential. The deals remove Meta from the trial scheduled for November and keep CEO Mark Zuckerberg off the witness stand.
Two Teens Cite Years of Compulsive Scrolling and Distress
Denying Liability While Settling Has Become Meta's Playbook
Meta said it will continue to defend itself in court and stands by its record, while court filings say the company denies the allegations and any liability. No settlement amount was disclosed. The move follows an August deal worth about $18 billion with 47 states, three territories and the District of Columbia to resolve attorneys general claims that its platforms harmed teens, alongside changes to how Instagram and Facebook work for teens.
Snap Stands Alone as Spiegel Faces First Trial Testimony
With Meta out, Snap is the sole remaining defendant. Jury selection began this week in Los Angeles, with opening statements scheduled for Nov. 4 before Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is expected to testify, his first testimony in a social media addiction trial. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri had also been expected as a key witness while Meta was still in the case.
March Verdict Raised Stakes for Thousands of Pending Cases
Discussion: If you were setting the rules for your own family, at what age would you let a child open a social media account, and what limit would you actually enforce?
