Meta settles teen’s claims, leaving Snap expected at trial

Meta has settled claims brought by K.D.B., an 18-year-old plaintiff in a Los Angeles case alleging that social-media platforms harmed young users, leaving Snap as the only company expected to face the claims at trial. The settlement was announced Friday by K.D.B.’s attorney, Emily Jeffcott. Its terms were not disclosed. The case combines claims by K.D.B., who is from Mississippi, and S.J., a 16-year-old from Illinois. Meta had settled S.J.’s claims before jury selection began on October 28. Both plaintiffs had also settled claims against TikTok and YouTube, according to their lawyers. With Meta’s latest agreement, Snap is expected to be the remaining defendant in the consolidated trial. The plaintiffs allege that platform design features, including automatically playing videos and feeds that continue loading as users scroll, encouraged compulsive use and contributed to mental-health problems and disordered eating. The allegations have not been decided in this trial. Snap has said the claims misrepresent the plaintiffs’ experiences and how Snapchat was designed, and that it believes evidence will support its position. Opening statements were scheduled for November 4, though...