Meta has faced one jury so far in a social media addiction case brought by a young person, and lost. More trials are scheduled in Los Angeles and in federal court through 2027.
Trials and Verdicts
- March 25, 2026: $6 million verdict. K.G.M. v. Meta, Los Angeles Superior Court. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old woman from Chico, California, started using YouTube at 6 and Instagram at 9 and alleged anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia. After more than 40 hours of deliberation, the jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages. Meta was assigned 70 percent of the fault, for a total of about $4.2 million. Snap and TikTok settled before trial. Judge Kuhl denied the companies’ post-trial motions in June 2026, and both have appealed.
- May 2026: school district case settled. Breathitt County School District, the first federal bellwether, settled before its June trial. Reuters reported from public records that Meta paid $9 million of about $27 million paid by the four companies.
- July 22, 2026: case dropped. R.K.C., a 15-year-old from Florida, dropped his claims against Meta days before trial. Meta said he received no payment. The other three companies settled.
- August 2026: case dropped. P.M.Y., a 15-year-old from New Jersey, dropped her claims against Meta, Google and Snap. TikTok had settled.
- October 28, 2026: next trial. S.J. and K.D.B. v. Meta and Snap, Los Angeles Superior Court. See below.
The October 2026 Trial
Judge Kuhl combined two cases for one jury: S.J., a 15-year-old from Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi, according to Reuters. TikTok and YouTube have settled, leaving Meta and Snap as defendants. On September 29, 2026, Judge Kuhl ordered Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri to testify, tentatively on November 10 and November 19. Snap chief executive Evan Spiegel is also expected to testify. The trial is expected to end before the December holidays.
Upcoming Trials
- February 2027: the first federal bellwether trials, brought by school districts in Tucson, Arizona and Charleston County, South Carolina.
- March 16, 2027: a Los Angeles trial of cases from the first group of personal injury bellwethers, according to the Daily Journal.
- August 6, 2027: another Los Angeles bellwether trial, according to the Daily Journal.
What the Trials Mean for New Claims
Bellwether verdicts show how juries respond to the evidence, and settlements before trial suggest how the companies value the claims. No global settlement for individual families has been announced, and new claims are still being filed. Compensation in these claims may cover medical and counseling expenses, past and future, along with pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
A young person may have a claim if they became addicted to the app before age 18, are now 25 or younger, used it heavily (typically three or more hours a day), and were diagnosed and treated for depression, severe anxiety, an eating disorder, body dysmorphia, self-harm, suicidal thoughts or a suicide attempt. Families who lost a child to suicide at age 21 or younger may have a wrongful death claim.
Common Questions
How much did the jury award in the first Meta trial?
About $6 million in total, including $3 million in punitive damages. Meta’s share was about $4.2 million. Each claim is different, and one verdict does not predict the value of another.
Why have other companies settled while Meta goes to trial?
Settlement decisions are made case by case. TikTok, Snap and YouTube have settled several cases before trial, while Meta has gone to verdict once and had two other plaintiffs drop their claims.
Will my child have to testify at a trial?
Most claims never go to trial. Bellwether trials involve a small number of selected cases, and young plaintiffs have been identified by their initials.
When is the next trial against Meta?
October 28, 2026, in Los Angeles, against Meta and Snap.