Minor drops lawsuit against Meta alleging social media harm of trial
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A minor who sued multiple social media companies over claims that he suffered mental health problems due to his use of their platforms has dropped his lawsuit against Meta, just days before the case was set to go to trial in California.
The plaintiff identified only as “R.K.C.” had brought claims against YouTube, Meta, Snap and TikTok, arguing that the companies failed to adequately warn him and his parents about the potential risks associated with their products and data tracking practices.
YouTube, which is owned by Google, reached a confidential settlement with the minor in late June. TikTok and Snap also reportedly settled their cases, leaving Meta as the only remaining defendant.
That case was scheduled to go to trial on July 27 in Los Angeles.
But lawyers for R.K.C. said in a statement on Wednesday that their client had decided to withdraw his claims against Meta because he was satisfied with the outcomes of the litigation so far and had concerns about a “enduring a grueling weekslong trial.”
“R.K.C. came into this process wanting to hold social media companies accountable and push for changes to protect young people like himself,” said attorneys Emily Jeffcott and Rahul Ravipudi. “He did that.”
The boy’s lawyers had claimed in court filings that he dealt with binge eating, suicidality, panic attacks and a sleep disorder as a result of the companies’ negligence.
“He’s ready to close this chapter and focus on his recovery and engage in therapy as he aspires to have a normal life,” they added.
The lawsuit further alleged that the social media platforms had been deliberately designed to increase minors’ engagement and earn advertising revenue, an argument also made in hundreds of other addiction-related lawsuits.
A Meta spokesperson said in a statement that R.C.K. had not received any payment from the company.
“The claims never held up, and this outcome makes clear that we will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” the spokesperson added.
The case was expected to be the second bellwether trial in a set of consolidated cases brought by individuals, school districts and states focused specifically on the design of social media apps.
In March, Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay a combined $6 million after a jury found both companies liable for the harm caused to the 20-year-old plaintiff. The individual claimed that she became addicted to the platforms after years of use, which had caused or worsened her depression, anxiety and other mental health struggles.
A Los Angeles judge in June refused a request from the companies to have the verdict thrown out, leaving the judgment intact while appeals continue.
Miranda Nazzaro contributed.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
A minor who sued multiple social media companies over claims that he suffered mental health problems due to his use of their platforms has dropped his lawsuit against Meta, just…
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
Skip to content
A minor who sued multiple social media companies over claims that he suffered mental health problems due to his use of their platforms has dropped his lawsuit against Meta, just days before the case was set to go to trial in California.
The plaintiff identified only as “R.K.C.” had brought claims against YouTube, Meta, Snap and TikTok, arguing that the companies failed to adequately warn him and his parents about the potential risks associated with their products and data tracking practices.
YouTube, which is owned by Google, reached a confidential settlement with the minor in late June. TikTok and Snap also reportedly settled their cases, leaving Meta as the only remaining defendant.
That case was scheduled to go to trial on July 27 in Los Angeles.
But lawyers for R.K.C. said in a statement on Wednesday that their client had decided to withdraw his claims against Meta because he was satisfied with the outcomes of the litigation so far and had concerns about a “enduring a grueling weekslong trial.”
“R.K.C. came into this process wanting to hold social media companies accountable and push for changes to protect young people like himself,” said attorneys Emily Jeffcott and Rahul Ravipudi. “He did that.”
The boy’s lawyers had claimed in court filings that he dealt with binge eating, suicidality, panic attacks and a sleep disorder as a result of the companies’ negligence.
“He’s ready to close this chapter and focus on his recovery and engage in therapy as he aspires to have a normal life,” they added.
The lawsuit further alleged that the social media platforms had been deliberately designed to increase minors’ engagement and earn advertising revenue, an argument also made in hundreds of other addiction-related lawsuits.
A Meta spokesperson said in a statement that R.C.K. had not received any payment from the company.
“The claims never held up, and this outcome makes clear that we will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” the spokesperson added.
The case was expected to be the second bellwether trial in a set of consolidated cases brought by individuals, school districts and states focused specifically on the design of social media apps.
In March, Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay a combined $6 million after a jury found both companies liable for the harm caused to the 20-year-old plaintiff. The individual claimed that she became addicted to the platforms after years of use, which had caused or worsened her depression, anxiety and other mental health struggles.
A Los Angeles judge in June refused a request from the companies to have the verdict thrown out, leaving the judgment intact while appeals continue.
Miranda Nazzaro contributed.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
Skip to content
A minor who sued multiple social media companies over claims that he suffered mental health problems due to his use of their platforms has dropped his lawsuit against Meta, just days before the case was set to go to trial in California.
The plaintiff identified only as “R.K.C.” had brought claims against YouTube, Meta, Snap and TikTok, arguing that the companies failed to adequately warn him and his parents about the potential risks associated with their products and data tracking practices.
YouTube, which is owned by Google, reached a confidential settlement with the minor in late June. TikTok and Snap also reportedly settled their cases, leaving Meta as the only remaining defendant.
That case was scheduled to go to trial on July 27 in Los Angeles.
But lawyers for R.K.C. said in a statement on Wednesday that their client had decided to withdraw his claims against Meta because he was satisfied with the outcomes of the litigation so far and had concerns about a “enduring a grueling weekslong trial.”
“R.K.C. came into this process wanting to hold social media companies accountable and push for changes to protect young people like himself,” said attorneys Emily Jeffcott and Rahul Ravipudi. “He did that.”
The boy’s lawyers had claimed in court filings that he dealt with binge eating, suicidality, panic attacks and a sleep disorder as a result of the companies’ negligence.
“He’s ready to close this chapter and focus on his recovery and engage in therapy as he aspires to have a normal life,” they added.
The lawsuit further alleged that the social media platforms had been deliberately designed to increase minors’ engagement and earn advertising revenue, an argument also made in hundreds of other addiction-related lawsuits.
A Meta spokesperson said in a statement that R.C.K. had not received any payment from the company.
“The claims never held up, and this outcome makes clear that we will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” the spokesperson added.
The case was expected to be the second bellwether trial in a set of consolidated cases brought by individuals, school districts and states focused specifically on the design of social media apps.
In March, Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay a combined $6 million after a jury found both companies liable for the harm caused to the 20-year-old plaintiff. The individual claimed that she became addicted to the platforms after years of use, which had caused or worsened her depression, anxiety and other mental health struggles.
A Los Angeles judge in June refused a request from the companies to have the verdict thrown out, leaving the judgment intact while appeals continue.
Miranda Nazzaro contributed.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Read the full story at BBC ↗ · The Hill ↗
This lens runs the verified story through Cinnamon's AI — wired in the next step.
- A minor who sued multiple social media companies over claims that he suffered mental health problems due to his use of their platforms has dropped his lawsuit against Meta, just…