TikTok settling three teen social media lawsuits ahead of trial

TikTok has agreed to settle three lawsuits brought by young people who accuse social media companies of designing their platforms to be addictive and harming their mental health, a plaintiffs' lawyer said Monday.



The terms of the settlements are confidential and subject to the finalization of written settlement agreements with TikTok, according to Joseph VanZandt, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.



TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.



The cases are among thousands of similar lawsuits consolidated in California state court. The plaintiffs' claims against Meta Platforms, Google's YouTube and Snap Inc's Snapchat will continue. A trial is scheduled in October.



The three cases, brought by plaintiffs identified only by their initials because they are minors, were selected as bellwether, or test, trials from among about 3,300 lawsuits before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl, who is overseeing consolidated claims that social media platforms are addictive and harm young users.



The companies have denied the allegations and say they take extensive steps to keep teens and young users safe on their platforms.



Attorneys often use bellwether verdicts to gauge how juries may view similar claims, helping them assess the potential value of remaining cases and guide settlement negotiations.