Meta won’t have to face the next planned social media addiction trial

A 15-year-old Florida plaintiff identified as R.K.C. dropped his case against Meta just days before trial in Los Angeles. The case was set to be the second bellwether trial testing claims that social media companies used addictive design features that harmed teens, while TikTok, Snap, and YouTube had already settled related claims.

The dropped case gives Meta a short-term reprieve but does not end the broader wave of teen safety litigation. The outcome suggests plaintiffs may still gain leverage through settlements, while platforms face continued pressure over addictive design and youth mental health risks.