Meta has reached a settlement with a Kentucky school district in a case that was set to become the first major trial testing claims that social media companies should be held financially responsible for alleged mental health harms among students.
The lawsuit, brought by Breathitt County School District, accused Meta and other platforms of designing addictive features that kept young users engaged for extended periods, contributing to anxiety, depression, and self-harm, while shifting the resulting pressures onto schools. The district, a small rural system in Appalachia, argued it was forced to spend significant resources addressing the consequences of student mental health struggles it linked to social media use.
The agreement fully resolves the Kentucky case, which had been designated as a bellwether trial representing roughly 1,200 similar lawsuits filed by school districts nationwide. Co-defendants in the broader litigation, including other major social media platforms, had previously reached their own settlements. The case had been scheduled to go to trial in federal court in California in mid-June.
A Meta spokesperson said the company was pleased to resolve the matter and emphasized ongoing efforts to support teen safety tools and parental controls across its platforms.
The lawsuit had sought more than $60 million in damages, along with funding for a long-term mental health program and court-ordered changes to platform design aimed at reducing allegedly addictive features.
Comments
Post a Comment