TikTok Settles As Meta, YouTube Face Bellwether Trial
Jury selection began Jan. 27, 2026, as TikTok settled and Meta and YouTube face a bellwether case representing 1,600 plaintiffs, 350 families and 250 school districts.
Overview
Plaintiff K.G.M., identified in filings by initials, and TikTok reached an agreement in principle to settle the Los Angeles County bellwether case on Jan. 27, 2026, Joseph VanZandt, a lawyer for K.G.M., said.
The trial proceeds with Meta and YouTube as defendants in a consolidated state action drawn from cases representing 1,600 plaintiffs, 350 families and 250 school districts, court filings show.
A Meta spokesperson said in a statement the company "strongly disagrees" with the allegations and stands by its teen-safety work, José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said the claims against YouTube are "simply not true," and Snap said in a statement it had resolved the matter, records show.
Plaintiffs intend to present thousands of internal company documents, expert testimony including from psychiatrist Kara Bagot and former Meta researcher Arturo Bejar, and teen witnesses while executives expected to appear include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, court filings show.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl scheduled the state bellwether to last six to eight weeks beginning with jury selection on Jan. 27, 2026, and a federal bellwether representing school districts is set to begin June 12, 2026, records show.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story with a harm-focused narrative: editorial choices emphasize plaintiff testimony, 'addictive' design claims and Big Tobacco analogies, while foregrounding internal documents. Source content includes defendants' denials and legal arguments, but placement and vivid language privilege the plaintiffs' framing, making the coverage sympathetic though still including rebuttals.
Sources (11)
FAQ
The bellwether trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court involves claims that Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube platforms are defectively designed to addict children, leading to mental health issues like depression and suicidal thoughts, representing 1,600 plaintiffs, 350 families, and 250 school districts.
TikTok reached a confidential settlement with plaintiff K.G.M. on January 27, 2026, just before jury selection; Snap settled the previous week, both removing them from the trial while it proceeds against Meta and YouTube.
Plaintiffs will present thousands of internal company documents, expert testimony from psychiatrist Kara Bagot and former Meta researcher Arturo Bejar, teen witnesses, and testimony from executives like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri.
Meta strongly disagrees, stating they stand by their teen-safety work and are confident evidence will show their commitment to young people; Google says claims against YouTube are simply not true and safer experiences are core to their work.
History
4 sources
3 sources