Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and Google to Pay $27m in US Student Mental Health Lawsuit

A rural Kentucky school district reached a $27 million settlement with major social media platforms over claims their apps fueled a student mental health crisis. Meta will contribute $9 million, while Snapchat’s parent company and ByteDance will each pay $8 million. Google will provide $2 million in cash plus nearly $1 million in training, software licences and support services. The Breathitt County School District’s case was chosen as a test among more than 1,200 similar suits across the United States. It had sought over $60 million to fund a 15-year mental health programme and cover costs linked to social media use, including sleep disruption and emotional distress. None of the companies admitted wrongdoing. Legal experts say the deal may increase pressure on hundreds of pending cases. The settlements follow a recent Los Angeles jury finding that Instagram and YouTube features can contribute to addictive use, a verdict likely to influence future litigation.

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