Meta paid two teenagers a total of $7 million to settle their claims privately, according to insider sources in Bloomberg’s reporting. Across Meta and TikTok, a dozen teen plaintiffs received confidential settlements, most ranging from $2 million to $2.5 million.
The teenagers alleged that the companies caused depression, self-harm, eating disorders, and anxiety. Bloomberg’s report describes the payouts as an attempt to keep those allegations out of public view, including the claims brought by the two teens Meta paid.
Trial attorney Mark Lanier, who represents two of the teen plaintiffs, said the amounts left his clients little reason to turn down a settlement. The companies “offered so much money that my clients could not refuse,” he told Bloomberg. “These are not insignificant numbers.”
The payments suggest how far the companies will go to keep stories about harm to teenagers out of the headlines. Experts also say the wider aim is to deter other plaintiffs from coming forward.
Yet the lawsuits continue. According to Bloomberg, almost 10,000 personal injury cases against Meta, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok remain unresolved in state and federal courts. Those claims followed landmark trials that opened the door to a wave of litigation.
The legal challenge also extends to schools: more than 1,000 school districts allege that social media companies harmed students by putting profits ahead of underage users’ safety. Even with the payouts, Bloomberg estimates the companies’ potential liability could total almost $400 billion.
Lanier expects more settlements to follow. “I believe they are the first dominoes to fall in what will be a succession of dominoes to come,” he added.
