Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeInformation TechnologyNewsMeta settles school suit over social media, averting first trialIt’s been a busy year for tech companies embroiled in child safety litigationAuthor of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Thursday’s settlement means that Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and other top executives will no longer have to testify in the trial. Photo by Drew ANGERER/AFP via Getty ImagesMeta Platforms Inc. reached an agreement to settle a landmark lawsuit alleging that addiction to Instagram and other top social media platforms upended learning across America and pushed United States public schools to spend enormous resources fighting a mental health crisis, according to a court filing.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorMeta was the sole remaining defendant in a trial scheduled for June after Snap Inc., Google’s YouTube and TikTok settled a week earlier. The terms of Meta’s settlement were not disclosed in Thursday’s filing, but a spate of additional lawsuits brought by school districts could open the tech companies to a “collective theoretical liability of almost US$400 billion,” according to an estimate from Bloomberg Intelligence.In a statement, plaintiffs’ attorneys Lexi Hazam, Previn Warren, Chris Seeger and Ronald Johnson confirmed they had resolved Breathitt County School District’s claims against Meta, as well as its claims against Snap, TikTok and YouTube. “Our focus remains on pursuing justice for the remaining 1,200 school districts who have filed cases,” the attorneys said in a joint statement.Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againA 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.”It’s been a busy year for tech companies embroiled in child safety litigation. Meta and Google went to trial in a first-of-its-kind personal injury suit over youth social media addiction in January in Los Angeles. A jury found the companies liable for harming a 20-year-old woman with products designed to keep her hooked, awarding a total of US$6 million in damages. TikTok and Snap, also named in the suit, settled just ahead of that trial.In March, Meta lost a separate case in New Mexico alleging the company failed to protect children from online predators; jurors assessed a penalty of US$375 million.Thursday’s settlement means that Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and other top executives will no longer have to testify in the trial, which was set to begin June 12 in federal court in Oakland, California. But another case against Meta brought by dozens of state attorneys general is slated to begin in August, and a defeat for the company could force it to change how its products operate.Meta and its rivals have downplayed the financial impact of the lawsuits and cultural backlash over child safety on their platforms. On Meta’s most recent earnings call with investors, Zuckerberg didn’t address the topic; chief financial officer Susan Li, in prepared remarks, said only that “we continue to see scrutiny on youth-related issues and have additional trials scheduled for this year in the U.S., which may ultimately result in a material loss.” Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.