YouTube settles with teen averting new US addiction trial

Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST

SAN FRANCISCO: YouTube reached a confidential settlement with a 15-year-old American who accused the Google-owned platform and other social media networks of harming his mental health, three months after an unprecedented verdict in a similar case.

Google spokesman Jose Castaneda confirmed the deal, saying the company had "built YouTube responsibly" for more than a decade and that its "focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls".

The agreement includes no admission of liability.

Plaintiff's attorneys John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott said YouTube's "decision to resolve this case before having to face a jury speaks for itself", accusing social media executives of "strategising for years to hook children early" through features like autoplay and infinite scroll.

CNA Games

Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time

Buzzword
Create words using the given letters

Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser

Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge

Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less

Instagram owner Meta, TikTok and Snapchat remain defendants in the case - the second of its kind in the United States - which is set to go to trial on Jul 27 in Los Angeles.

The plaintiff, identified by his initials RKC, is a teenager from Florida who claims compulsive social media use contributed to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts for which he continues to receive treatment.

His case was selected as a bellwether to help resolve thousands of similar lawsuits across the country.

A first bellwether trial concluded in March, when a Los Angeles jury ordered Meta and Google to pay a 20-year-old woman, KGM, US$6 million - a historic first. 

Snapchat and TikTok had settled before that trial for undisclosed amounts.

Another case in New Mexico found Meta liable for misleading consumers about the safety risks its platforms pose to children. 

The jury ordered Meta to pay US$375 million in damages.

In May, Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube reached confidential settlements with a Kentucky school district, averting another landmark trial in Oakland. 

In a separate case, more than 30 US states are suing Meta over similar allegations, with a potential trial set for August in Oakland.

Sign up for our newsletters

Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox

Subscribe here

Get the CNA app

Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories

Download here

Get WhatsApp alerts

Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app

Join here