Vani Sanganeria
Meta settled a major lawsuit on Thursday with a Kentucky school district over claims that its platforms are designed to be addictive and harm children, The New York Times reported. The settlement follows other settlements with TikTok, Snap and YouTube less than three weeks before the case was scheduled for trial in an Oakland federal court.
The case, brought by Breathitt County Schools, a small rural district in Kentucky, was a bellwether case among 1,200 lawsuits filed by school districts accusing social media companies of negligence and creating addictive technology. School districts claim that the companies’ platforms have led to significant financial strain on mental health counseling and services for students.
The settlements follow two losses for social media giants in March: a Los Angeles jury finding Meta and YouTube liable for harming a 20-year-old plaintiff, and a New Mexico jury finding Meta liable for endangering child safety.
“We’ve resolved this case amicably and remain focused on our longstanding work to build protections like Teen Accounts that help teens stay safe online, while giving parents simple controls to support their families,” said a Meta spokesperson. The company did not disclose the terms of the settlement.
Breathitt County Schools said students’ use of social media had led to increased anxiety, depression and self-harm, and it said the $60 million it sought through the lawsuit would pay for a 15-year mental health program to improve student mental health. Attorneys for the district said in a statement on Thursday that “our focus remains on pursuing justice for the remaining 1,200 school districts who have filed cases.”
The next case against social media companies brought by the Tucson Unified School District is set to go to federal court in January 2027.
