Meta settles with second teen in social media addiction lawsuit; case against Snapchat moves forward

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has settled with a second teen who sued the company and several other social media platforms, alleging they were responsible for physical and mental health injuries.

The settlement leaves Snapchat as the sole remaining defendant in the case. The two plaintiffs, ages 16 and 18, continue to pursue claims against the platform. In the lawsuit, they say they began engaging in what they described as "addictive and problematic" use of social media platforms, resulting in depression, eating disorders, self-harm and body dysmorphia, among other alleged harms.

The plaintiffs allege Snapchat was designed to maximize the amount of time young users spend on the app through features like Snapstreaks, Snapscores, push notifications and filters.

In a statement to Eyewitness News, Snap said its platform differs from traditional social media, opening to a camera, not a feed, and no social comparison metrics.

"We have built safeguards into the platform, introduced safety tools and educational resources, and we believe the evidence will support that we have put our community first, and that these allegations fundamentally misrepresent the plaintiffs' experiences on Snapchat and how our platform was designed," a Snap spokesperson said.

Jury selection is underway in the case, which is one of thousands of lawsuits alleging social media platforms knowingly sought to addict children.

In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in a separate lawsuit and awarded a young woman $6 million in damages. In August, Meta agreed to pay $18 billion as part of a settlement with attorneys general across the country. The settlement requires Meta to implement additional safeguards for children, including time limits and the removal of visible 'like' counts.

Meta has not commented on the latest settlement. The company previously said, in part, that a young person's mental health is shaped by many factors.

Opening statements in the trial against Snapchat are scheduled for Wednesday.