TikTok settles with Florida teen before California social media addiction trial

TikTok has reached a confidential settlement with a 15‑year‑old plaintiff from Florida, identified only as R.K.C., who alleges the platform’s design caused depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. The settlement, announced in principle by the plaintiff’s law firm Morgan & Morgan, removes TikTok from a high‑profile California state court trial scheduled to begin on July 27 in Los Angeles. The teen’s lawsuit also named Google’s YouTube, Meta’s Instagram and Snap’s Snapchat; YouTube settled in June, leaving Meta and Snap as the remaining defendants.

The case is part of a larger wave of social‑media addiction litigation, with more than 3,300 similar claims pending in California state court and 2,600 in federal court. Earlier bellwether trials produced a $6 million verdict against Meta and Google, and a $27 million settlement with a Kentucky school district. Over 30 U.S. states have filed suits against Meta on comparable grounds. TikTok’s settlement follows a previous settlement of a similar case earlier in the year, highlighting the growing legal pressure on platforms to address alleged addictive design features such as infinite scroll and autoplay.