TikTok has settled a landmark lawsuit just ahead of its trial, joining the ranks of other social media giants Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube that are facing claims their platforms deliberately addict and harm children.
The case centers around KGM, a 19-year-old whose use of TikTok from an early age allegedly addicted her to technology, exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. She is one of three plaintiffs selected for bellwether trials, essentially test cases for both sides to gauge how their arguments will play out before a jury and what damages may be awarded.
Lawyers for KGM say the settlement does not mean TikTok is innocent; rather it's an acknowledgment that the platform has made no progress in addressing its design choices. The company remains a defendant in other personal injury cases, and the trial against Meta and YouTube will proceed as scheduled.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for social media companies' businesses and how they handle children using their platforms. Jury selection is set to begin in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where 75 potential jurors are expected to be questioned each day through at least Thursday.
Experts draw comparisons to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement requiring cigarette companies to pay billions in healthcare costs and restrict marketing targeting minors. The plaintiffs claim TikTok's design features are akin to those used by slot machines and exploited by the cigarette industry, aimed at maximizing youth engagement for advertising revenue.
The tech giants dispute these claims, arguing they have added safeguards over the years and are not liable for content posted on their sites by third parties. Meta has stated that blaming social media companies solely for teen mental health struggles oversimplifies a complex issue, while Google says allegations against YouTube are "simply not true."
The case is part of a growing number of lawsuits seeking to hold social media companies responsible for harming children's mental well-being. A federal bellwether trial beginning in June will represent school districts that have sued social media platforms over harms to children.
The case centers around KGM, a 19-year-old whose use of TikTok from an early age allegedly addicted her to technology, exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. She is one of three plaintiffs selected for bellwether trials, essentially test cases for both sides to gauge how their arguments will play out before a jury and what damages may be awarded.
Lawyers for KGM say the settlement does not mean TikTok is innocent; rather it's an acknowledgment that the platform has made no progress in addressing its design choices. The company remains a defendant in other personal injury cases, and the trial against Meta and YouTube will proceed as scheduled.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for social media companies' businesses and how they handle children using their platforms. Jury selection is set to begin in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where 75 potential jurors are expected to be questioned each day through at least Thursday.
Experts draw comparisons to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement requiring cigarette companies to pay billions in healthcare costs and restrict marketing targeting minors. The plaintiffs claim TikTok's design features are akin to those used by slot machines and exploited by the cigarette industry, aimed at maximizing youth engagement for advertising revenue.
The tech giants dispute these claims, arguing they have added safeguards over the years and are not liable for content posted on their sites by third parties. Meta has stated that blaming social media companies solely for teen mental health struggles oversimplifies a complex issue, while Google says allegations against YouTube are "simply not true."
The case is part of a growing number of lawsuits seeking to hold social media companies responsible for harming children's mental well-being. A federal bellwether trial beginning in June will represent school districts that have sued social media platforms over harms to children.
Technology addiction is like a slow poison – you don't see it coming until it's too late! 
i mean i use tikTok all the time but i never thought about how it could be bad for me or my younger siblings lol what's up with social media companies not doing more to protect kids? i feel like they're trying to make money off of us youngins' 
anyway, this lawsuit thing is kinda scary because if tiktok and other platforms get found guilty then what will happen next? 
. It feels like they're basically saying "we know we haven't done enough" 
but still got off scot-free 
and had to change their marketing strategy 
. Fingers crossed that this case will force TikTok (and other social media platforms) to take kids' mental health more seriously 
and now they're saying it's not their fault because third parties post content on their sites... come on guys 
, you can't just sit back and do nothing when your platform is literally designed to exploit kids' emotions. 
I'm so tired of these corporations thinking they're above the law 
, it's like they think we won't notice or care about our own well-being... newsflash: we are paying attention 
and we are not happy about this 
it's like they say, "addicted" doesn't even begin to describe what's happening here 
those design choices are literally designed to be super engaging and addictive...it's no wonder some kids can't put their phones down 
we can't keep letting them get away with exploiting our youth for profit 
.
. It's more like they're acknowledging the elephant in the room isn't going away and are willing to settle before things get messy 
it's not like they're hiding anything, right? 
maybe add some more kid-friendly features or age restrictions on certain content? 
wouldn't want any little ones getting sucked into endless scrolling 
Like, we all know how addictive those For You pages can be... 
This case is just another example of how corporations think they're above the law. The real victims here are our kids who can't even take a break from their screens without feeling anxious or depressed. 
. Now we're talking about billions of dollars being paid out to kids who got hurt from these apps. It's crazy! The fact that these companies are still denying any wrongdoing just shows how powerful they are 
. I think we need more transparency and accountability from these companies, not just a quick fix to save face 
.