TikTok reached a last-minute settlement to avoid being pulled into a closely watched social media addiction trial, striking a deal just hours before jury selection was set to begin in a California courtroom.
Allegations of Algorithm-Driven Harm
The case was brought by a 20-year-old woman identified as KGM, who alleges that the design of social media algorithms left her addicted to online platforms and caused lasting damage to her mental health.
“The parties are pleased to have reached an amicable resolution of this dispute,” the Social Media Victims Law Center said in a statement announcing the TikTok addiction lawsuit settlement, noting that the terms remain confidential.
TikTok’s exit leaves Meta — the parent company of Instagram and Facebook — and Google, which owns YouTube, as the remaining defendants. Snapchat reached its own settlement with the plaintiff last week.
A Turning Point for Tech Liability
The companies named in the suit have consistently argued that the plaintiff has failed to show they are responsible for alleged harms such as depression and eating disorders. Still, the case moving forward to trial marks a significant shift in how U.S. courts are confronting claims that social media platforms fuel addictive behavior.
For decades, tech firms have relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law shielding platforms from liability for user-generated content. But this case zeroes in not on posts themselves, but on product design — algorithms, notifications and engagement features that critics say hook users and keep them scrolling.
