Snap, YouTube, TikTok Settle School Suit Targeting Social Media

"Snap Inc., Google's YouTube and ByteDance Ltd. 's TikTok reached agreements to settle the first lawsuit headed to trial over claims that addiction to top social media platforms has disrupted learning and pushed public schools to spend massive sums fighting a mental health crisis, according to court filings."

"The trio of settlements announced Friday leaves only Meta Platforms Inc. to face off with a rural Kentucky school district in a trial set to begin June 12 in federal court in Oakland, California. The terms of the settlements weren't disclosed in Friday's filings."

"The trial will serve as a test case for more than 1,200 similar lawsuits nationwide in which school districts allege that the biggest social media companies have harmed students so badly that it's undermining the education system. The spate of lawsuits could open the tech companies to a "collective theoretical liability of almost $400 billion," according to an estimate from Bloomberg Intelligence."

""For more than a decade, we've built YouTube responsibly - working with teachers, administrators, and parents' groups to give students safer, more helpful experiences online," a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement. "This matter has been amicably resolved and our focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls that deliver on that promise.""

Snap, YouTube, and TikTok reached agreements to settle the first lawsuit scheduled for trial over claims that social media addiction disrupted learning and drove public schools to spend heavily on mental health. Court filings announced settlements for the three companies without disclosing settlement terms. Only Meta Platforms remains set to face a rural Kentucky school district in a federal trial beginning June 12 in Oakland, California. The trial is expected to function as a test case for more than 1,200 similar lawsuits nationwide alleging harm to students and damage to the education system. Estimates have suggested potential collective theoretical liability near $400 billion. YouTube and Snap stated the matters were resolved amicably, while district lawyers emphasized continued pursuit of remaining cases.

Read at Bloomberglaw