Morgan & Morgan Social Media Lawsuit, Teen Addiction Claims, $6 Million Verdict, Latest Settlements and Who May Qualify

Morgan & Morgan, one of the largest personal-injury firms in the United States, represents young people and families in lawsuits against major social media companies. The suits allege that Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube were designed to encourage compulsive use among children and teenagers, contributing to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sleep disruption, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

Latest development (October 30, 2026): Meta reached confidential settlements with both teenagers set for the latest Los Angeles trial, S.J. and K.D.B., according to Reuters and Bloomberg Law reporting. Both had already settled with TikTok and YouTube, leaving Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, as the only remaining defendant expected to face the jury. Morgan & Morgan attorney Emily Jeffcott represented K.D.B. Opening statements were scheduled for November 4, 2026.

Three points matter for anyone searching for a “Morgan & Morgan settlement”:

1. Morgan & Morgan is the plaintiffs’ law firm, not the defendant. The defendants are the social media companies.
2. This is not one nationwide class action. It is a large set of individual injury lawsuits coordinated in state and federal courts, and there is no general claim form or public payout fund.
3. The $6 million verdict was a different plaintiff’s case. It belongs to K.G.M., whose trial was led by another lawyer, not to every family the firm represents.

Morgan & Morgan also has an unrelated lawsuit of its own against the Florida Bar over celebrity lawyer ads, covered in section 14.

Morgan & Morgan Social Media Lawsuit: Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Law firm	Morgan & Morgan (plaintiffs’ counsel)
Attorney publicly identified	Emily Jeffcott
Main defendants	Meta, Google/YouTube, Snap, ByteDance/TikTok
Platforms involved	Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok
Main claims	Defective design, negligence, failure to warn
California coordinated proceeding	JCCP 5255 (Los Angeles County Superior Court, Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl)
Federal MDL	MDL No. 3047, No. 4:22-md-03047-YGR (N.D. Cal., Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers)
First jury verdict	March 25, 2026: $6 million for K.G.M. against Meta and YouTube
October 2026 plaintiffs	S.J. (16, Illinois) and K.D.B. (18, Mississippi)
October 30 development	Meta settles with both plaintiffs; terms confidential
Remaining defendant in that trial	Snap Inc.
Opening statements scheduled	November 4, 2026
Certified class action?	No
Nationwide claim form or settlement fund	None

1. What the Lawsuits Are About

The plaintiffs argue these platforms are defective products. They say the companies used behavioral design techniques, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, recommendation algorithms, push notifications, streaks and engagement metrics, to keep young users on the apps longer, while knowing about risks to developing adolescents and failing to adequately address or warn about them.

The main defendants and the features challenged:

• Meta (Facebook, Instagram): recommendation algorithms, infinite scroll, likes, notifications and feeds.
• Google (YouTube): video recommendations and autoplay.
• Snap (Snapchat): Snapstreaks, notifications and other engagement features.
• ByteDance (TikTok): short-form video feeds, personalized recommendations and continuous scrolling.

The companies deny the allegations and point to safety tools such as parental supervision, teen accounts, content limits, time reminders and nighttime protections. These are allegations in individual lawsuits. They do not establish that every child using social media will suffer these harms, or that an app alone caused any particular mental health condition.

2. Morgan & Morgan’s Actual Role

The firm represents people who say defective platform design and inadequate warnings harmed them. Emily Jeffcott has been publicly identified as a lead attorney for plaintiffs in the California bellwether cases. Two cases show the firm’s role.

R.K.C., the Florida teenager

Morgan & Morgan and Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP represented R.K.C., a Florida minor who alleged that social media use beginning around age eight contributed to depression, anxiety, sleep disruption and compulsive use, naming Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. His case was set as the second Los Angeles bellwether trial.

YouTube settled in June 2026, TikTok on about July 1 and Snap on about July 20, all confidentially. In July 2026, days before the trial, R.K.C. voluntarily dismissed his remaining claims against Meta, which said it paid nothing. His lawyers said he had achieved what he set out to do and wanted to avoid a grueling weeks-long trial. So the case ended without a verdict.

K.D.B., the Mississippi teenager

K.D.B., 18, alleged that her use of Meta’s platforms and Snapchat from a young age contributed to depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm. Emily Jeffcott represented her. Her case was consolidated with S.J.’s for a Los Angeles trial that began with jury selection on October 28, 2026. On October 30, Meta reached a confidential settlement with her.

3. The $6 Million K.G.M. Verdict

On March 25, 2026, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury awarded a young woman identified as K.G.M. (also called Kaley) $6 million. She alleged she started using YouTube at about age six and Instagram at about nine, and that prolonged use contributed to addiction-like behavior, anxiety, depression and body-image problems.

The jury found Meta and YouTube negligent, including a failure to provide adequate warnings, and awarded $3 million in compensatory and $3 million in punitive damages.

Damages	Total	Meta (70%)	YouTube (30%)
Compensatory	$3,000,000	$2,100,000	$900,000
Punitive	$3,000,000	$2,100,000	$900,000
Total	$6,000,000	$4,200,000	$1,800,000

This was a verdict for one plaintiff, not a nationwide settlement. It does not mean other families will receive $6 million. That trial was led by attorney Mark Lanier, so it should not be confused with the cases of Morgan & Morgan clients.

Meta and Google sought post-trial relief. On June 9, 2026, Judge Kuhl denied their requests to overturn the verdict or order a new trial, and the companies appealed. Their arguments include Section 230 and First Amendment defenses and challenges to the design-based theories. The verdict is not the final word on those legal issues.

4. The October 2026 Trial: S.J. and K.D.B.

Jury selection began October 28, 2026 before Judge Kuhl. S.J., 16, of Illinois, alleged that features on Snapchat and other apps contributed to compulsive use, depression, reduced sleep, anxiety, an eating disorder, suicidal ideation and self-harm. K.D.B. alleged similar harms. Their complaints, filed in 2023, challenged push notifications, autoplay, infinite scroll, view counts, likes, Snapstreaks and personalized recommendations.

TikTok and YouTube settled before trial. Meta settled with S.J. shortly before jury selection and, according to Reuters and Bloomberg Law, with K.D.B. on October 30, which Bloomberg Law reported would also keep CEO Mark Zuckerberg from testifying. Snap, which says Snapchat opens to a camera rather than a ranked feed and is built differently from other social media, was left as the sole defendant. Snap disputes the allegations and says it has safeguards to protect users.

Opening statements were scheduled for November 4, 2026. As of October 31, there is no verdict. Settlements by other companies do not establish that Snap is liable.

5. Is This a Class Action? Mass Tort vs. Class Action

No. The individual injury claims are coordinated, not certified as a class.

A mass tort involves many individuals alleging the same product or conduct harmed them. Each person has an individual claim, and injuries, usage history and damages differ.

A class action combines claims in one representative proceeding for a defined group, subject to court certification. That is not the structure here.

There are two coordination systems:

• JCCP 5255 coordinates many individual California state-court cases in Los Angeles. The K.G.M. verdict and the S.J./K.D.B. trial are part of it.
• MDL 3047 (In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation) coordinates federal cases in the Northern District of California for pretrial management. It does not turn the cases into a class action.

For the wider picture, see AllAboutLawyer’s Social Media Addiction Lawsuit 2026 $6M Verdict, $17B Deal.

6. Laws and Legal Theories Involved

No single federal law lets families claim compensation. Most personal-injury claims rest on state law.

• Product liability (design defect): The platforms’ engagement features allegedly created foreseeable risks to young users.
• Negligence: Plaintiffs must show a duty, breach, causation and damages.
• Failure to warn: The companies allegedly did not adequately disclose risks of compulsive engagement.
• 47 U.S.C. § 230: Platforms argue this law shields them from claims treating them as publishers of third-party content. Plaintiffs say their claims target product design, not posts. In the K.G.M. case, Judge Kuhl rejected the argument that Section 230 required dismissal of the design-based claims, and the companies are challenging that ruling.
• First Amendment: Companies argue that recommending and organizing content is protected editorial activity. Plaintiffs say they challenge defective features, not speech.
• California Civil Code § 3294: Allows punitive damages for oppression, fraud or malice, which is how the K.G.M. jury could award punitive damages.
• COPPA (15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506): Regulates collection of children’s personal data under 13. It is relevant to government enforcement, not the core mental-health injury claims.

7. The Companies’ Defenses

• Causation: Depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm can have many causes, including family, genetics, life events and existing conditions.
• Benefits and safety tools: Platforms say they provide connection and support and have added teen accounts, parental controls, time limits and restrictions.
• Legal protections: Section 230 and the First Amendment.

No court has found that all social media use causes mental illness.

8. The $17.1 Billion Meta Settlement: Does It Include Individual Families?

On August 26, 2026, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a multistate settlement with Meta valued at up to $17.1 billion, with a coalition of state attorneys general. It addressed government claims about harmful design aimed at children and teens, and required Meta to add protections for under-18 users, such as:

• A default two-hour daily time limit across Facebook and Instagram.
• Default restrictions from midnight to 6 a.m.
• Muted notifications during school hours.
• More parental controls and age-assurance measures.

Most protections were intended to last about 10 years.

This is not a fund for individual families. The money supports state priorities such as youth online safety and services. It does not pay parents whose children used Instagram or Facebook and does not automatically resolve individual injury suits.

Individual injury litigation	State attorneys general settlement
Brought by individuals and families	Brought by state governments
Personal injury damages	Government enforcement and public relief
Depends on individual evidence	Funds support state priorities
No general claim form	No individual injury claim form

9. Can You File a Claim Through Morgan & Morgan?

Possibly, but using these apps does not by itself qualify anyone. A lawyer would look at:

• Age when use began. The litigation focuses on young users, though no single age is a universal requirement.
• Frequency and duration of use, shown by screen-time records, account and device history and parental observations.
• Documented injuries, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm or other psychological harm, supported by treatment records.
• Evidence linking platform use to the harm, possibly through medical history, timelines and expert opinions.
• Time limits. There is no single deadline. Limitation periods vary by state, and some states have special rules for minors. A family should not assume a claim is timely just because the child is under 18.

Morgan & Morgan has publicly promoted its social media harm practice and offers a way to submit case information. Submitting an intake form does not mean a claim is accepted or that someone qualifies for money. This is a legal matter, so anyone considering a claim should speak with a qualified attorney about their own facts.

For related background on how individual settlements differ from a class action, see TikTok Social Media Addiction Settlement, Can You Sue Too?.

10. How Much Could Someone Receive?

There is no verified average payout. The $6 million verdict is one person’s award. The confidential settlements in R.K.C., S.J. and K.D.B. cannot establish a typical value, and R.K.C.’s claim against Meta ended with no payment.

Value depends on injury severity, treatment costs, documented damages, length and nature of use, causation evidence, state law, the defendants and available defenses. Damages could include medical costs, lost earning capacity where supported and pain and suffering, and sometimes punitive damages where legal requirements are met. Be cautious about any site or ad promising a specific payout.

11. Is There a Settlement Claim Form?

No. There is no nationwide claim form, settlement administrator or public fund for the individual youth social media injury litigation. Parents are not automatically class members, and confidential settlements in individual cases do not create a right to payment for others. A lawyer’s advertisement is not proof that a claim has been accepted.

12. Other Proceedings in the Wider Fight

• School district cases. School districts argue the platforms contributed to a youth mental-health crisis that forced added spending on counseling and support. A Kentucky bellwether involving Breathitt County Board of Education was resolved through 2026 settlements, but that resolution is specific to that claim and is not a fund for families. See Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube Settle School Social Media Addiction Lawsuit: Were Your Kids Affected?.
• State attorney general suits. State actions continue beyond the $17.1 billion agreement. One report also noted a New Mexico jury finding against Meta with a combined penalty of $942 million, a separate government case.
• Federal MDL. Pretrial management of expert issues, discovery and bellwether scheduling continues.

13. What Happens Next

The immediate focus is the Snap trial, with opening statements scheduled for November 4, 2026. Plaintiffs are expected to present evidence on Snapchat’s streaks and notifications, recommendation and engagement features, their history of use and mental health, and company knowledge and safety measures. Snap is expected to argue that Snapchat is a different kind of product and that other factors shaped the plaintiffs’ experiences.

More bellwether trials are scheduled in the state and federal cases later this year and in 2027. Outcomes may influence settlement talks, but no single trial resolves every pending claim, and no global settlement covering the whole docket has been announced.

14. A Separate Case: Morgan & Morgan v. The Florida Bar

This is unrelated to children allegedly harmed by social media. On August 14, 2026, Morgan & Morgan and CEO Alexander M. Clem filed a federal suit, Morgan & Morgan, P.A. v. The Florida Bar, No. 4:26-cv-00405, in the Northern District of Florida. It challenges Florida Rule of Professional Conduct 4-7.15(c), which restricts lawyer ads using a celebrity’s voice or image, as a First Amendment violation and unconstitutionally vague. The firm says the rule has interfered with campaigns featuring people such as Shaquille O’Neal, Frankie Muniz, Kyle Busch and John Daly, and a proposed billboard with Miami Hurricanes player Malachi Toney.

On October 26, 2026, the Florida Bar asked the court to dismiss, arguing the firm lacks standing, the rule is not a blanket ban and serves legitimate interests in preventing misleading lawyer advertising, and that it has immunity as an arm of the Florida Supreme Court. The court had not ruled as of October 31, 2026.

---

Timeline

Date	Event
October 2022	Federal MDL 3047 established; JCCP 5255 filed in Los Angeles
March 25, 2026	K.G.M. jury awards $6 million against Meta and YouTube
June 9, 2026	Judge Kuhl denies Meta and Google’s post-trial requests
June 2026	YouTube settles R.K.C.’s claims
July 1 and 20, 2026	TikTok and Snap settle R.K.C.’s claims
July 22, 2026	R.K.C. drops remaining claims against Meta without payment
August 14, 2026	Morgan & Morgan sues the Florida Bar
August 26, 2026	Meta’s multistate agreement of up to $17.1 billion announced
October 26, 2026	Florida Bar moves to dismiss the Morgan & Morgan suit
October 28, 2026	Jury selection begins in the S.J. and K.D.B. trial
Late October 2026	Meta settles with S.J.
October 30, 2026	Meta settles with K.D.B.; Snap remains
November 4, 2026	Opening statements scheduled against Snap

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Morgan & Morgan being sued over social media addiction?

No. The firm represents plaintiffs. The defendants are Meta, Google, Snap and ByteDance.

Which companies are involved?

Meta (Instagram, Facebook), Google (YouTube), Snap (Snapchat) and ByteDance (TikTok).

Did Meta lose a $6 million case?

Yes. A jury awarded K.G.M. $6 million against Meta and YouTube on March 25, 2026, with Meta responsible for $4.2 million and YouTube $1.8 million. The companies are appealing.

Did Morgan & Morgan win the $6 million verdict?

No. That was a separate plaintiff’s case led by another lawyer. Morgan & Morgan’s documented clients include R.K.C. and K.D.B.

Did Meta settle with Morgan & Morgan clients?

Reuters and Bloomberg Law reported that Meta settled confidentially with S.J. and K.D.B. before their trial. Emily Jeffcott represented K.D.B.

What happened to R.K.C.’s case?

YouTube, TikTok and Snap settled confidentially. R.K.C. then dropped his remaining claims against Meta, which said it paid nothing, so no trial took place.

Is Snapchat still being sued?

Yes. Snap was the sole defendant expected to face S.J. and K.D.B. at trial as of October 31, 2026.

Is there a Morgan & Morgan social media settlement?

There are confidential individual settlements, but no nationwide fund or public payout program.

Is the $17.1 billion Meta settlement for families?

No. It is a state government agreement that funds state priorities and youth-safety measures.

Is this a class action?

No. The individual injury cases are coordinated through mass-tort proceedings.

Can parents sue on behalf of a child?

Possibly, depending on the child’s history, documented injuries, evidence of causation and state law. An attorney must review the facts.

Is there a claim form?

No nationwide claim form exists for the individual injury litigation.

What are JCCP 5255 and MDL 3047?

JCCP 5255 is California’s coordinated state proceeding in Los Angeles. MDL 3047 is the federal multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of California.

Can Meta use Section 230 to avoid these cases?

Meta has raised it, but in the K.G.M. case Judge Kuhl rejected the argument for dismissing the design-based claims. The companies are challenging that ruling.

When is the next trial?

Opening statements against Snap in the S.J. and K.D.B. case were scheduled for November 4, 2026.

Is Morgan & Morgan suing the Florida Bar?

Yes, in a separate case filed August 14, 2026 over celebrity images and voices in lawyer ads. The Bar sought dismissal on October 26.

How much could a person receive?

There is no established average. The $6 million verdict is for one plaintiff, and settlement terms are confidential.

Sources and Legal References

Settlements and trial coverage

1. Morgan & Morgan, Plaintiff Reaches Settlement With YouTube in Social Media Harm Litigation (June 24, 2026)
2. Reuters, Meta Settles With Teen During Trial Testing Claims Social Media Caused Depression and Eating Disorders (October 30, 2026)
3. Bloomberg Law, Meta Avoids Social Media Addiction Trial With Settlements (October 30, 2026)
4. CBS News, Jury Selection Begins in Meta and Snap Trial Over Social Media Addiction Claims
5. ABC News, Jury Selection Set to Begin in Los Angeles in Snap, Meta Social Media Addiction Case (October 28, 2026)
6. Courthouse News, Teen Drops Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Against Meta
7. AFP via eNCA, US Teen Withdraws Lawsuit Against Meta Over Social Media Addiction
8. Daily Journal, Florida Minor Drops Meta Claims Days Before Bellwether Trial (July 22, 2026)

First $6 million jury verdict

9. CBS News, Meta and YouTube Found Liable in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial (March 25, 2026)
10. Reuters, Judge Denies Meta and Google New Trial Requests (June 10, 2026)
11. Meta SEC Filing, March 31, 2026

Court proceedings

12. California Social Media Cases, JCCP 5255
13. MDL 3047 Case Management Orders
14. U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal., In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction Litigation, No. 4:22-md-03047-YGR

State government settlement

15. New York Attorney General, Meta’s Up to $17.1 Billion Settlement (August 26, 2026)
16. Meta, Agreement With Bipartisan Attorneys General (August 26, 2026)

Legislation

17. 47 U.S.C. § 230, Communications Decency Act
18. 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
19. California Civil Code § 3294, Punitive Damages

Morgan & Morgan v. The Florida Bar

20. Federal docket, Morgan & Morgan, P.A. v. The Florida Bar, No. 4:26-cv-00405
21. Reuters, Florida Bar Defends Celebrity Ad Rule in Morgan & Morgan Lawsuit (October 27, 2026)

About the Author

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher covering U.S. lawsuits, class action litigation, mass torts, consumer protection and major court developments.

This article is based on public court information, Morgan & Morgan announcements, company statements, government records and established news reporting. Allegations against social media companies are not established facts unless proven in court. Confidential settlement amounts are not presented as verified figures.

Disclaimer: AllAboutLawyer.com is an independent legal information website, not a law firm. This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice.

Last Updated: October 31, 2026