Teenager claimed YouTube harmed his mental health, now he's getting a settlement deal

<h2>UNPRECENTED</h2>

<p>YouTube has settled a lawsuit brought by a 15-year-old alleging the platform contributed to mental health harm, ahead of a wider trial involving other social media companies.</p>

<p>Image: Michael Sherman/IOL</p>

<p>YouTube reached a confidential settlement with a 15-year-old American who accused the Google-owned platform and other social media networks of harming his mental health, three months after an unprecedented verdict in a similar case.</p>

<p>Google spokesman Jose Castaneda confirmed the deal, saying the company had "built YouTube responsibly" for more than a decade and that its "focus remains on building age-appropriate products and parental controls."</p>

<p>The agreement includes no admission of liability.</p>

<p>Plaintiff's attorneys John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott said YouTube's "decision to resolve this case before having to face a jury speaks for itself," accusing social media executives of "strategising for years to hook children early" through features like autoplay and infinite scroll.</p>

<p>Instagram owner Meta, TikTok and Snapchat remain defendants in the case – the second of its kind in the United States – which is set to go to trial July 27 in Los Angeles.</p>

<p>The plaintiff, identified by his initials R.K.C., is a teenager from Florida who claims compulsive social media use contributed to anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts for which he continues to receive treatment.</p>

<p>His case was selected as a bellwether to help resolve thousands of similar lawsuits across the country.</p>