2026-06-24 14:03:23
Google has settled a social media addiction lawsuit brought by a Florida teenager, marking another legal challenge for technology companies accused of harming young users through addictive platform features.
The case centred on YouTube and was brought by a 15-year-old identified in court documents as R.K.C., who alleged that the video-sharing platform was intentionally designed to encourage compulsive use.
The settlement terms were not disclosed.
A spokesperson for Google confirmed the agreement had been reached.
Google spokesman José Castañeda said in a statement: “This matter has been amicably resolved and our focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls that deliver on that promise.
R.K.C. continues to pursue separate claims against Meta, TikTok and Snap, with a trial currently scheduled to begin in Los Angeles on 27 July.
The lawsuit is the second in a series of so-called bellwether trials overseen by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl as courts seek to resolve more than 1,000 similar claims filed in California.
The first trial concluded earlier this year and involved a California woman, identified as K.G.M., who accused YouTube and Meta of deliberately creating addictive products for young users.
A jury awarded her $6 million (£4.5 million), marking the first time a court found Meta and YouTube liable for mental health harms linked to social media use.
TikTok and Snap settled before that case reached trial.
R.K.C.’s complaint alleges that features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay encouraged excessive use of social media, contributing to anxiety, sleep deprivation and other mental health issues.
His legal team argued that social media companies had deliberately sought to maximise engagement among young users.
Attorneys John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott said in a statement: “As jurors saw in the first bellwether trial, leadership at these social media companies have been strategising for years to hook children early and maximise their usage.
Google rejected the allegations, pointing to years of investment in child safety measures.
The company said it had built YouTube “responsibly – working with families to give young people safer, more helpful experiences online” and highlighted the launch of YouTube Kids in 2015.
The settlement follows another recent agreement involving YouTube, Meta, TikTok and Snap, which resolved a lawsuit brought by a Kentucky school district alleging that social media platforms contributed to a youth mental health crisis.
Thousands of similar cases remain active across the United States, with further trials expected in the coming months.
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