Meta (META.US), Google (GOOGL.US), Snap (SNAP.US) escape one crisis? Plaintiffs withdraw addiction lawsuits against key social media platforms, two cases remain pending for October

According to information from Zhihui Finance APP, a teenage plaintiff once considered the benchmark case for social platform addiction lawsuits has withdrawn her suit against the parent companies of Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat, as revealed in a court document on Thursday local time. The case had previously accused these tech firms of intentionally making their products addictive to teenagers, thereby triggering a mental health crisis.

The 15-year-old girl from New Jersey (identified as P. M-Y. in California court records) previously alleged that Meta Platforms (META.US), Google (GOOGL.US), and Snap Inc. (SNAP.US) designed their platforms in ways that exacerbated her social media addiction, depression, and self-harming behaviors.

All three companies stated that the plaintiff withdrew the lawsuit without any financial settlement. Another defendant in the case, TikTok, had already reached a settlement with her.

Plaintiff's attorney Emily Jevcoat stated that her client chose to abandon the remaining claims in order to return to a normal life. She remarked, “My client initiated this lawsuit hoping to hold social media companies accountable and drive change to protect young people like her.”

Currently, Meta is facing two state-led lawsuits in court, accusing its Facebook and Instagram platforms of being deliberately designed to foster addiction among children and of misleading the public regarding safety issues. One lawsuit involving 29 states began trial this week in federal court in Oakland, California; another, brought by Tennessee, is ongoing in Nashville state court.

This case is one of thousands of injury lawsuits brought by individuals, states, and school districts against social media companies. The companies involved deny the allegations and stress that they have implemented extensive measures to ensure the safety of teenagers and young users on their platforms.

Significance as a Benchmark Case

The P. M-Y. lawsuit is one of more than 3,300 personal injury cases consolidated in California state court in Los Angeles, and was selected as one of three “benchmark” or test cases scheduled to go to trial in October this year.

Lawyers typically use benchmark case verdicts to gauge juries’ attitudes towards similar claims, assess the possible value of remaining cases, and shape the direction of settlement negotiations.

Meta stated, “The plaintiff had severe mental health issues before exposure to social media, and many other similar cases clearly follow the same pattern.” The statement also asserted that the company would vigorously defend the remaining cases.

Google's YouTube said in a statement that the plaintiff’s decision to withdraw the case supports the company’s “longstanding position that we offer a safe, appropriate experience for teens and families and strong parental controls.”

A Snap spokesperson stated that the company will continue to focus on enhancing safety features, tools, and educational resources to support users’ safety, privacy, and well-being.

Court records show that two other similar lawsuits filed by teenagers against the same companies are still scheduled for trial in October. TikTok has settled those cases as well.

Another benchmark case concluded prior to trial in July this year—after the remaining defendants reached settlements, a teenage plaintiff withdrew her suit against Meta.

The first individual case in this series of lawsuits concluded in March this year, with a jury awarding $4.2 million in damages from Meta and $1.8 million from Google. The plaintiff—a woman—claimed she became addicted to social media during her youth due to the platforms’ attention-grabbing design. TikTok and Snap both settled with the plaintiff before trial.