Meta settles closely watched school district lawsuit weeks ahead of trial
Source: Engadget
Alex Wong/Getty Images
Settlement with Kentucky School District
Meta has reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought by a Kentucky school district weeks before the case was set to go to trial in California, according to court documents. The lawsuit had alleged that Meta, Snap, YouTube, and TikTok had harmed students’ mental health, straining school resources.
Meta’s settlement comes a week after Snap, YouTube, and TikTok also reached a settlement. A Meta spokesperson said:
“We’ve resolved this case amicably and remain focused on our longstanding work to build protections like Teen Accounts that help teens stay safe online, while giving parents simple controls to support their families.”
Wider Legal Landscape
The Kentucky case was the first scheduled to go to trial among more than 1,000 lawsuits filed by school districts nationwide targeting Meta and other social‑media companies. Other districts with active cases include:
Lawyers for the Kentucky school district emphasized that their focus “remains on pursuing justice for the remaining 1,200 school districts who have filed cases.”
Recent Court Outcomes Involving Meta
- A Los Angeles jury recently ruled against Meta and YouTube in a social‑media addiction trial that featured testimony from Mark Zuckerberg and other executives.
- Meta was ordered to pay a $375 million fine after a New Mexico trial over its safety practices; the company plans to appeal the ruling.