Google-owned YouTube has reached a confidential settlement in a social media addiction lawsuit filed by a 15-year-old boy from Florida who alleged the platform contributed to mental health problems among young users.

The case, filed under the initials R.K.C., accused YouTube and other major social media platforms of designing products in ways that encourage compulsive use among children. The lawsuit claimed the teenager suffered sleep loss, anxiety and depression after using social media from a young age.

The settlement removes YouTube from a California state court trial scheduled to begin on July 27 in Los Angeles. Claims against Meta, TikTok parent company ByteDance and Snap remain active.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda said the matter had been resolved amicably and that the company remains focused on developing age-appropriate products and parental controls. YouTube did not disclose the financial terms of the settlement.

The lawsuit is part of a broader wave of litigation in the United States over whether social media companies knowingly designed addictive features that could harm children and teenagers.

According to Reuters, more than 3,300 similar cases are pending in California state court, while around 2,600 additional cases involving individuals, school districts, municipalities and states are pending in federal court. The companies have denied wrongdoing and say they take steps to protect younger users.

The remaining trial involving R.K.C. is expected to test allegations that platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat used product designs that increased engagement while creating risks for young users.

The case follows an earlier California trial in which a jury found Meta and Google negligent in a separate social media addiction case and awarded damages to the plaintiff.

The outcome of these cases is being closely watched by technology companies, parents, schools and regulators as legal scrutiny grows over the impact of social media use on children’s mental health.

Also Read :Banana-Shaped Car Pulled Over by Traffic Police in Montana