Teen suing Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta over mental health harms drops his claims days before trial
A 15-year-old from Florida has withdrawn his lawsuit against Meta just days before a scheduled trial in Los Angeles. The plaintiff, identified in court documents as R.K.C., had alleged that social media platforms were responsible for his struggles with depression, anxiety, and sleep loss.
The lawsuit initially targeted multiple tech firms. YouTube and TikTok reached settlement agreements with the plaintiff in June. Recent reports indicate that Snap also arrived at a tentative settlement regarding the claims.
Attorneys for the teen stated that he decided to drop the case to avoid the stress of a lengthy, grueling trial and to focus on his personal recovery. They confirmed his goal is to move past this litigation and pursue a normal life through therapy.
A spokesperson for Meta confirmed the dismissal of the claims and noted that the company provided no payment to the plaintiff. Meta maintains that the lawsuit lacked merit and stated its intent to continue challenging similar legal actions in the future.