TikTok reached a preliminary settlement agreement with the prosecution in the case of teenage users getting addicted to social media platforms on the evening of January 26. The prosecution, represented by a 19-year-old woman with the alias KGM from California, essentially achieved a settlement agreement.
This lawsuit accused social media companies of deliberately designing platforms to entice young users into addiction. The settlement allowed TikTok to avoid the anticipated first trial in a series of civil lawsuits.
The agreement between the two parties was reached as the jury selection process in the California High Court in Los Angeles was set to begin on January 27 (Tuesday).
KGM’s lawsuit filed in the California High Court is one of three selected test cases from hundreds of similar lawsuits filed across the United States. These cases are seen as potential litmus tests for future lawsuits against social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Meta, and Snap. These lawsuits allege that major tech companies have been intentionally promoting addiction to tech products among young people, and the related cases are expected to be heard in court.
According to court documents, KGM claimed in the lawsuit that these social media platforms, due to their overly enticing designs, led her to become addicted, causing depression and suicidal thoughts. Thus, she took these social media platforms to court.
Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, also reached a settlement with her on this case last Tuesday (January 20). In a statement, Snap stated, “Both parties are pleased to resolve this matter amicably.”
The trials against the remaining defendants in the lawsuit – Meta and YouTube – are expected to continue. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in the trial, which could last up to eight weeks.
KGM’s lawsuit alleges, “The defendants heavily borrowed behaviors and neurobiological techniques used by slot machines and exploited by the tobacco industry, deliberately embedding a series of design functions in their products aimed at maximizing youth engagement to boost advertising revenue.”
“The plaintiffs are not just incidental victims of the defendants’ products,” the complaint further states. “They are direct victims of the product design choices intentionally made by the defendants. They are the target of harmful features that drive them into a self-destructive feedback loop.”
Companies like Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company), Snap, Alphabet Inc. (YouTube’s parent company), as well as TikTok and its parent company ByteDance, face thousands of lawsuits in federal and state courts. These lawsuits allege that they knowingly designed platform features that could lead teenagers into addiction, exacerbating their mental health crisis.
Matthew Bergman, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, stated that this will be the first time TikTok, Meta, and other tech giants will have to defend themselves in court for the “harm” caused by their products. Jason Ysais, a spokesperson for the Social Media Victims Law Center, stated, “We are awaiting the court’s ruling on unsealing case details.”
A spokesperson for Meta stated on January 26 that the company strongly opposes the allegations in the lawsuit and “believes the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”
Meta stated that they employ advanced technology, hire child safety experts, and collaborate with other companies and law enforcement agencies to identify online predators.
Google spokesperson José Castañeda said that the allegations against YouTube, a Google subsidiary, are “completely unfounded.”
He stated, “Providing a safer and healthier experience for young people has always been at the core of our work.”
Epoch Times has reached out to TikTok and KGM’s lawyer for comments, but has not received a response as of the time of publication.
(This article referenced reports from English Epoch Times)