A Florida teenager has dropped his case against Meta, citing concerns over a lengthy jury trial. He had accused platforms like Instagram of causing addiction and harm.

The settlement comes after the teenager also resolved similar claims with TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. His lawyers stated he was ready to focus on recovery and therapy rather than continue legal battles.

Meta defended its position, claiming the case never held up. The company faced a previous jury trial where it lost and was ordered to pay $6mn for harming another young woman’s mental health.

The next significant lawsuit is set to go to trial in October, with hundreds of similar cases being heard by the Los Angeles Superior Court. Thousands more lawsuits are pending across the U.S., targeting major social media platforms for allegedly harming children's wellbeing.

In May, Meta settled a case with a school district that claimed its platform had led to significant welfare costs for students, though the exact amount was undisclosed.