Meta settles school district case over youth mental health costs
Meta has settled a lawsuit filed by a Kentucky school district over costs linked to youth mental health concerns allegedly connected to social media use, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The agreement resolves the case brought by Breathitt County School District in eastern Kentucky. The lawsuit had been scheduled to go to trial on June 15 in federal court in Oakland, California.
The district’s case was the first selected for trial among about 1,200 similar lawsuits filed by school districts against social media companies. The cases seek to recover costs that districts say they incurred while responding to student mental health challenges allegedly worsened by online platforms.
Other companies named in the case, including YouTube, Snap and TikTok, had already reached settlements with the district.
A Meta spokesperson said the company had resolved the case amicably and would continue its work on safety features for teenagers, including Teen Accounts and parental controls.
Attorneys for the school district said the settlement covers Breathitt County’s claims against Meta, while their work continues on behalf of other districts pursuing similar cases.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that U.S. court filings in November alleged Meta halted internal research after finding indications that reduced Facebook use was linked to improved mental health.