TikTok has settled a high-profile lawsuit alleging that major social media platforms deliberately design their products to be addictive and harmful to users, agreeing to resolve the case on Tuesday. Snap, another defendant in the suit, reached a settlement last week.
The lawsuit, which centres on a 19-year-old plaintiff identified by the initials K.G.M., is regarded as a test case in a growing wave of legal challenges targeting social media companies over user harm and addiction. While TikTok and Snap have opted to settle, Meta and YouTube remain defendants and are now heading to trial.
The trial is expected to draw significant attention, as Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and YouTube chief Neal Mohan are anticipated to testify. Legal experts say the outcome could shape the direction of dozens of similar lawsuits pending against social media platforms across the United States.
By settling, TikTok and Snap are not admitting liability or wrongdoing. Instead, both companies reached agreements with the plaintiff outside of court. The terms of the settlements have not been disclosed.
