TikTok Settles Social Media Addiction Lawsuit As Global Pressure Mounts To Protect Children

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – TikTok has agreed to settle a landmark U.S. lawsuit accusing social-media companies of deliberately addicting and harming children, just days before the case was due to go to trial, attorneys for the plaintiffs confirmed Tuesday.

The short-video platform was one of three major companies — alongside Instagram, owned by Meta, and YouTube, owned by Google — named in the lawsuit. A fourth defendant, Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, reached a separate settlement last week for an undisclosed amount.

Details of TikTok’s settlement were not made public, and the company did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said TikTok remains a defendant in other pending personal-injury cases tied to alleged addiction and harm to minors.

At the center of the litigation is a 19-year-old woman identified only as “KGM,” whose case is one of several selected as bellwether trials — test cases intended to gauge how juries may respond to claims that social-media platforms knowingly designed features that keep young users hooked.

Legal experts say the outcome of these cases could influence thousands of similar lawsuits across the United States.

GLOBAL CONCERNS OVER SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION

The lawsuit comes amid growing international concern over the mental-health impact of social media on children and teenagers, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption and compulsive use.

Several governments have begun tightening rules in response. France has moved to require parental consent for children under 15 to use social-media platforms, while Australia and other countries have debated raising the minimum age for social-media access to 16.

In the United States, multiple states have passed or proposed laws aimed at limiting minors’ access or requiring stronger parental controls.

Lawmakers and child-advocacy groups argue such measures are necessary as evidence mounts that social-media algorithms can intensify addictive behavior, particularly among younger users.

CASES AGAINST META AND YOUTUBE CONTINUE

While TikTok reached a settlement, attorneys said the trial will proceed as scheduled against Meta and YouTube, keeping pressure on the industry as courts examine whether social-media companies should be held liable for alleged harm to children.

The companies have previously said they offer safety tools and deny intentionally designing products to harm young users.

Observers say the case marks a potential turning point in how governments and courts worldwide address the influence of powerful technology platforms on children’s well-being.

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