YouTube Settles Teen Addiction Lawsuit Ahead of California Trial

YouTube, owned by Google, reached a confidential settlement with a 15‑year‑old Florida teen (identified as R.K.C.) who claimed the platform’s design – including autoplay and infinite‑scroll features – caused compulsive use, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. The settlement contains no admission of liability. The case was selected as the second bellwether trial in a California consolidated proceeding that will go forward on July 27 in Los Angeles against Meta, TikTok and Snap. Earlier, a March jury verdict ordered Meta to pay $4.2 million and Google $1.8 million for a similar claim by a 20‑year‑old plaintiff. More than 3,300 related lawsuits await trial in California state court and another 2,600 in federal court. Google spokesperson José Castañeda said the dispute was “amicably resolved” and reaffirmed the company’s focus on building age‑appropriate products and parental controls. Plaintiffs’ lawyers said the settlement shows YouTube opting to resolve the matter before a jury.