Social media addiction litigation: Teen drops bellwether lawsuit against Meta and Google

A significant test case in the ongoing litigation against major social media companies has been withdrawn. A 15-year-old girl from New Jersey, identified in court records as P. M-Y., dismissed her lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Google, and Snap Inc. Her case was one of three “bellwether” trials scheduled for October, intended to help lawyers and defendants gauge how juries might rule on claims that social media platforms are designed to be addictive to minors.

The plaintiff’s attorney stated the dismissal was made because the client wished to move forward with her life, noting that the initial goal was to hold companies accountable and push for protections for young people. While TikTok had previously settled with the teen, the remaining defendants were not required to make payments for this dismissal.

This case is part of a massive consolidation of over 3,300 personal injury lawsuits in California. Separately, a major joint lawsuit filed by the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey seeks $1.4 trillion in damages. These legal actions allege that platforms like Facebook and Instagram foster addiction and mental health issues, such as depression and self-harm. Meta has contested these claims, arguing that “social media addiction” is not a recognized medical condition by major health organizations.