Meta Platforms has reached settlements with two plaintiffs whose social media addiction claims were due to go to trial in Los Angeles next week, avoiding a potentially high-profile courtroom battle involving the company’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg.
Judge Carolyn Kuhl of the California Superior Court in Los Angeles County said the court had been informed the previous night that a settlement had been reached with the plaintiff identified in court documents as K.D.B. Meta had earlier settled with the other plaintiff scheduled to face trial, referred to as S.J.
The agreements mean Zuckerberg will no longer be required to testify in the proceedings.
“We will continue to defend ourselves in court, and we stand by our record,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement, referring to the safeguards the company has introduced to protect teenagers using its platforms.
Emily Jeffcott, a trial counsel for K.D.B. representing Morgan & Morgan, said the firm remained committed to improving child safety on social media platforms and holding technology companies accountable.
“We remain committed to improving safety for kids on social media apps and holding tech companies accountable, and we are pleased to have brought this matter to a just resolution on behalf of our client,” Jeffcott said.
Following the settlements, Snap Inc. is the only defendant remaining in the trial.
Opening arguments are scheduled to begin next week unless Snap reaches an agreement with the plaintiffs. S.J. is a resident of Dolton, Illinois, while K.D.B. is from Richland, Mississippi.
The settlement with Meta represents the latest development in a growing wave of litigation over alleged social media addiction in California. The lawsuits accuse technology companies of designing platforms and features that encourage excessive use, particularly among children and teenagers, and contribute to mental health problems.
In August, Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to resolve claims brought by state attorneys general in proceedings before the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The agreement required the company to introduce additional safeguards governing the operation of platforms including Facebook and Instagram.
Meta had avoided another trial in July after R.K.C. dropped his case against the company following settlements with Google and TikTok. P.M-Y also dismissed her case in August, two months before her scheduled trial, after reaching a settlement with TikTok.
The litigation has already produced a significant jury verdict. In the first bellwether trial, K.G.M. secured a $4.2 million judgment against Meta and a further $1.8 million judgment against Google.
The cases form part of coordinated proceedings known as Social Media Cases JCCP, California Superior Court, case number 5255.
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