Social Media Addiction Trial Tracker

The first social media addiction trials took place in 2026. On March 25, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and awarded a young woman $6 million. A day earlier, a New Mexico jury had ordered Meta to pay $375 million under state consumer protection law.^[2]

Since then, several scheduled trials ended in settlements before or during trial. The largest came on August 26, 2026, when Meta agreed to a proposed settlement of up to $17 billion with a coalition of state attorneys general midway through a federal trial in Oakland.^[12][13]

None of these results decides whether any other family has a case. This tracker explains what each trial was about, how it ended, and what comes next, as of September 17, 2026.

Latest Updates

• September 10, 2026: Texas announced that a judge found TikTok liable for misleading claims about its safety standards. A trial to set penalties and relief is expected, the attorney general’s office said.^[18]
• August 26, 2026: Meta and a coalition of 51 attorneys general announced a proposed settlement, ending the federal trial in Oakland in its second week. The same day, a Tennessee judge dismissed the jury in that state’s separate trial against Meta. Texas announced its own settlement with Meta of more than $1 billion.^{[12][13][16][17]}
• August 18, 2026: The multistate trial against Meta opened in federal court in Oakland.^[12]
• August 10, 2026: The Ninth Circuit dismissed early appeals by Meta and TikTok over Section 230 in the federal litigation, finding it lacked jurisdiction to hear them at that stage.^[10]
• August 6, 2026: A New Mexico judge ruled that Meta contributed to a public nuisance and ordered it to pay $567 million into an abatement fund.^[6]
• July 27, 2026: Opening statements began in Tennessee’s trial against Meta in Nashville.^[15]
• July 22, 2026: The second Los Angeles test case ended before trial. After YouTube, TikTok, and Snap settled, the plaintiff dropped his claims against Meta.^[5]
• June 10, 2026: The Los Angeles judge denied Meta’s and Google’s requests to overturn the March verdict.^[4]
• May to June 2026: All four companies settled the first federal school district test case ahead of its June 12 trial date. Records later showed about $27 million combined, Bloomberg News reported.^[8][9]
• March 25, 2026: A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and awarded $6 million.^[2]
• March 24, 2026: A New Mexico jury found Meta violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act and set $375 million in civil penalties.^[6]
• January 27, 2026: Jury selection began in Los Angeles. TikTok settled with the plaintiff on the eve of trial, and Snap had settled the week before.^[1]

The Trials at a Glance

How These Cases Are Organized

Thousands of social media harm lawsuits are grouped into two main proceedings. In California state court, cases are coordinated in Los Angeles under JCCP 5255, overseen by Judge Carolyn Kuhl. In federal court, cases are gathered in the Northern District of California before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.^[1][10][19]

The federal proceeding includes separate groups of plaintiffs: individuals claiming personal injury, school districts and local governments, and state attorneys general.^[10]

In each proceeding, a handful of bellwether cases go to trial first. Their outcomes can influence how the rest play out and whether broader settlement talks open, NPR reported. Several states also sued Meta in their own courts, including New Mexico and Tennessee.^[1][6][15]

The First Verdict: K.G.M. v. Meta and YouTube

What Was Alleged

The plaintiff, identified as K.G.M., said her use of social media as a child led to depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphia. Her complaint said she began using social media at age 10 despite her mother’s efforts to block the apps. She originally sued Meta, YouTube, TikTok, and Snap.^[1]

Her lawyers focused on design rather than content. They pointed to infinite scroll, constant notifications, autoplay, and beauty filters. The companies argued that her struggles had other causes, citing her home life and noting that her therapists had not identified social media as the cause.^[2][3]

What the Jury Decided

After about five weeks of testimony, including from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, the jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in the design or operation of their platforms. It found that negligence was a substantial factor in harming the plaintiff and that both companies failed to adequately warn of the danger to minors.^[2][3]

Jurors awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages. They assigned 70% of the responsibility to Meta and 30% to YouTube.^[2][3]

Only nine of 12 jurors had to agree on each claim, and two jurors consistently disagreed with the majority on liability, ABC7 reported.^[3]

After the Verdict

On June 10, 2026, Judge Kuhl denied Meta’s and Google’s requests to set the verdict aside or order a new trial. She rejected arguments based on the First Amendment and Section 230, the federal law that generally shields platforms from liability for what users post. Both companies said they expect to appeal.^[4]

The Second Los Angeles Test Case Never Reached a Jury

The second bellwether involved a Florida teenager identified as R.K.C. It was set for trial in late July 2026. YouTube and TikTok settled with him first, and Snap reached a tentative settlement on July 21.^[5]

On July 22, the plaintiff dropped his claims against Meta, the only remaining defendant. Meta said he received no payment from Meta. Because the case ended without a trial, it produced no verdict either way.^[5]

New Mexico v. Meta: A Jury Verdict and a Court Order

The Jury Phase

New Mexico’s attorney general sued Meta in December 2023. A jury heard the state’s consumer protection claims from February 2 to March 24, 2026.^[6]

The jury found 75,000 violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act and assessed the maximum $5,000 for each one, for a total of $375 million in civil penalties. NPR described the case as centered on Meta’s alleged failure to protect young users from child predators on Instagram and Facebook.^[2][6]

The Judge’s Public Nuisance Ruling

A second phase, heard by the judge alone from May 4 to 22, 2026, addressed the state’s claim that Meta created a public nuisance. On August 6, 2026, Chief District Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled that Meta is a cause of, and substantially contributed to, a public nuisance in New Mexico.^[6]

He ordered Meta to pay $567 million into an abatement fund, in addition to the jury’s penalties, to be spent over five years. The order also requires changes for New Mexico users under 18, including:^[6]

• No push notifications from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., or from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days, with exceptions for messages from connections and urgent alerts.
• Like counts hidden by default unless a parent allows them.
• A usage cap of 90 hours per month across Facebook and Instagram.
• A ban on romantic or sexualized interactions between minors and Meta’s AI chatbots.

The judge declined some of what the state asked for. He granted no relief aimed at Meta’s recommendation algorithms and denied a court-appointed child safety monitor.^[6]

What Comes Next in New Mexico

Meta has said it plans to appeal. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that Meta asked the court to let it post a $1.8 billion bond to pause collection while an appeal is pending, and that the state did not oppose. Under the order, the five-year abatement period pauses during an appeal if Meta posts that bond.^[6][7]

The First Federal School District Trial Settled

The first federal bellwether was brought by Breathitt County School District in rural Kentucky. It was set for trial on June 12, 2026, in Oakland, and was billed as a test case for more than 1,200 similar school district lawsuits.^[8]

Snap, YouTube, and TikTok settled in mid-May, and Meta followed. Records released under Kentucky’s open records law showed Meta paying $9 million, Snap and TikTok $8 million each, and YouTube slightly more than $2 million, Bloomberg News reported. The next school district trial was reported to be scheduled for February 2027 and centers on a district in Tucson, Arizona.^[8][9]

School districts ask to be reimbursed for costs such as counseling and mental health services. That differs from a family’s personal injury claim, which seeks compensation for a child’s own harm.^[9]

The States’ Trial Against Meta in Oakland

What the States Alleged

The trial opened August 18, 2026, before Judge Gonzalez Rogers. California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey led the case for a larger group of states.^[11][12][13]

The states alleged that Meta designed features such as the like button, infinite scroll, and recommendation algorithms to capture young users’ attention, and misled the public about the risks. They also alleged Meta collected data from children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Meta called the claims limited and unsubstantiated.^[11]

How It Ended

On August 26, 2026, midway through the second week, California announced a proposed settlement on behalf of 51 attorneys general. It calls for Meta to pay up to $17 billion to the states over 10 years and to change how Instagram and Facebook work for minors. California said the settlement remains subject to court approval. NPR reported that Judge Gonzalez Rogers approved it hours after it was filed. Meta has denied the allegations.^[12][13]

According to California and Louisiana, the terms include:^[12][14]

• A default two-hour daily time limit for users under 18, with mandatory pauses during long stretches of use.
• A block on use from midnight to 6 a.m. that only a parent can lift.
• No push notifications during school hours on weekdays.
• No like or reaction counts shown to minors, and no cosmetic surgery filters for users under 18.
• Stronger age assurance and an independent auditor to oversee compliance.

Why You May See Two Different Dollar Figures

Louisiana described the deal as a $12.19 billion settlement that grows to $17.1 billion if Snap, TikTok, and YouTube reach deals with similar terms. California and NPR described it as up to $17 billion. Both describe the same agreement: a base payment, with the rest tied to other companies joining.^[13][14][16]

Separately, Texas, which was not part of the multistate case, announced its own settlement with Meta of more than $1 billion on the same day.^[17]

Tennessee’s Trial Against Meta

Tennessee brought its own case in state court in Nashville. After a week of jury selection, opening statements began July 27, 2026, before Chancellor Russell Perkins. The state alleged Meta designed Instagram to be addictive and hid the risks from parents.^[15]

On August 26, 2026, the chancellor dismissed the jury and ended the trial after Tennessee announced it was part of the multistate settlement. The Nashville Banner reported Tennessee will receive nearly $752 million.^[16]

What These Results Mean for Families

The K.G.M. verdict applies to one plaintiff. Jurors were asked whether social media use was a substantial factor in her harm, which is a different question from whether social media causes mental health problems for every child.^[2]

The New Mexico judgment and the multistate settlement pay governments. Many individual lawsuits are unaffected by the states’ deal, experts told NPR.^[6][13]

Your family’s situation turns on what happened to your child, which platforms were involved, and when. A lawyer can tell you whether any of these proceedings touch your claim.

What Comes Next

• Appeals. Meta and Google have said they will appeal the Los Angeles verdict, and Meta plans to appeal the New Mexico judgment.^[4][7]
• More school district trials. The next federal school district trial was reported to be set for February 2027.^[9]
• TikTok, Snap, and YouTube. These companies are not part of the Meta settlement. Meta’s payment grows if they agree to similar terms with the states.^[13][14]
• Texas and TikTok. Texas says it will go to trial to set penalties after a judge found TikTok liable on its deception claims.^[18]

Supporting Your Child While the Cases Continue

Your child’s care does not need to wait for any court. If you are unsure how much of a problem social media has become, a social media addiction test can help you organize what you see, and how social media affects teens explains the research in plain terms. You can also find a therapist who works with technology-related problems.

Some harms in these cases involve adults contacting children, which calls for a different response. Learn the signs of online grooming and what to do about sextortion.

If your child is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 for free, confidential support at any hour. If a life is in immediate danger, call 911.^[20]

Related Guides

• Tech harm lawsuit tracker
• Social media addiction lawsuit
• Instagram lawsuit
• TikTok lawsuit
• Snapchat lawsuit
• Discord lawsuit
• Roblox lawsuit
• Video game addiction lawsuit

Sources

1. Bond, S. NPR. (2026, January 27). Social media giants face trial over claims they harm kids.
2. Allyn, B. NPR. (2026, March 25). Jury finds Meta and Google negligent in social media harms trial.
3. ABC7 Los Angeles. (2026, March 25). Los Angeles social media addiction trial: Jury finds Meta and YouTube liable, awards $6 million in damages.
4. MediaPost. (2026, June 11). Judge Rejects Meta and Google Bid to Overturn “Addiction” Verdict.
5. TechCrunch. (2026, July 22). Social media addiction lawsuit against Meta is dropped.
6. First Judicial District Court, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. (2026, August 6). State of New Mexico ex rel. Torrez v. Meta Platforms, Inc., No. D-101-CV-2023-02838, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Judgment.
7. Santa Fe New Mexican. (2026, August). Meta asks New Mexico court to stay enforcement of $942 million judgment pending appeal.
8. Bloomberg News, via Insurance Journal. (2026, May 18). Snap, YouTube, TikTok Settle School Suit Targeting Social Media.
9. Bloomberg News, via Claims Journal. (2026, June 1). Social Media Giants to Pay $27 Million in School Suit Accord.
10. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. (2026, August 10). People of the State of California v. Meta Platforms, Inc., and consolidated appeals (opinion).
11. Ruwitch, J. NPR. (2026, August 17). Meta heads to court over kids and social media addiction.
12. California Office of the Attorney General. (2026, August 26). Attorney General Bonta Secures Transformative $17 Billion Settlement with Meta.
13. Ruwitch, J. NPR. (2026, August 26). Meta, states agree to $17 billion settlement in child safety trial.
14. Louisiana Office of the Attorney General. (2026, August). Attorney General Liz Murrill Announces $12.19 Billion Meta Settlement and Legal Action Against Snap, Inc and Discord.
15. WSMV. (2026, July 27). TN Attorney General Skrmetti leads opening arguments during Meta trial in Nashville.
16. Reiland, M. H. Nashville Banner. (2026, August 26). Meta Agrees to $17.1 Billion Settlement, Including $752 Million for Tennessee, for Social Media Addiction Claims.
17. Texas Office of the Attorney General. (2026, August 26). Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Over $1 Billion from Meta in Historic Settlement that Protects Texas Kids Online.
18. Texas Office of the Attorney General. (2026, September 10). Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Historic Victory Making Texas the First State in the Nation to Hold TikTok Liable for Harming Children.
19. Grabenstein, H. PBS News. (2026, January 28). What legal experts say about a major “bellwether trial” over child social media addiction.
20. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (n.d.). 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.