Less than a week before Meta’s lawyers were due back in Los Angeles, the case was dropped by R.K.C., a 15-year-old Florida plaintiff. The move came after TikTok, Snap and YouTube settled similar claims for undisclosed amounts.
In withdrawing his lawsuit against Meta, R.K.C.’s lawyer Emily Jeffcott stated: “He’s ready to close this chapter and focus on his recovery.” Meanwhile, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone defended the company, saying they would not back down from defending themselves against “baseless lawsuits.”
Despite this success, seven more bellwether cases remain in California. Additionally, a separate set of cases is pending in Oakland federal court.
The first bellwether case saw Meta and YouTube lose, with a jury finding them negligent and ordering them to pay $6 million in damages. A New Mexico jury also ordered the company to pay a $375 million penalty, preparing for further changes.
Meta still faces claims from state attorneys general in federal court, alleging illegal misleading practices about harmful features of their platforms.
