Individual Action
JCCP 5255 Social Media Cases (K.G.M. bellwether)
Re-checked against the docket 2026-08-23
In re Social Media Cases, JCCP No. 5255 (first bellwether: K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms, Inc., Snap Inc., TikTok Inc., and Google LLC)
Where it stands
The California state-court counterpart to MDL 3047, before Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl in Los Angeles. In the first bellwether trial a jury returned a verdict on March 25, 2026 finding Meta and Google/YouTube negligent in platform design and awarding approximately $6 million — $3 million compensatory and $3 million punitive — apportioned roughly 70% to Meta and 30% to Google/YouTube. Snap and TikTok settled that case confidentially in January 2026 before trial. The new-trial motion was denied; Meta noticed its appeal July 8, 2026 and YouTube July 16, 2026, and both appeals are pending. YouTube separately settled the second bellwether (R.K.C.) on June 23, 2026.
Key ruling
March 25, 2026 jury verdict (L.A. Super. Ct.): Meta and Google/YouTube found negligent in platform design, $6 million awarded including $3 million punitive — the first plaintiff's verdict in the social media adolescent-harm litigation.
Note on this record
The bellwether plaintiff is identified publicly only by initials; the individual member-case number is not public.The record
- Court
- Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles (Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl)
- Case number
- JCCP No. 5255
- Filed
- Filing date not established
- Defendants
- Meta Platforms, Inc. · Google LLC (YouTube) · Snap Inc. (settled pre-trial) · TikTok Inc. / ByteDance (settled pre-trial)
- Plaintiffs
- Roughly 1,000+ coordinated California personal-injury claims by young users alleging addiction and mental-health harm from platform design
- Technology at issue
- Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok
- Relief sought
- Compensatory and punitive damages for personal injury
- Counsel of record
- The Lanier Law Firm (Mark Lanier) · Beasley Allen (Joseph VanZandt) · Social Media Victims Law Center
Claims pleaded
Sources (3)
- Jury finds Meta and Google negligent in social media harms trialNPR · 2026-03-25
- Jury in Los Angeles finds Meta, YouTube negligent in social media addiction trialCNBC · 2026-03-25
- Los Angeles social media addiction trial: Jury finds Meta and YouTube liable, awards $6 million in damagesABC7 Los Angeles · 2026-03-25
This page describes a publicly filed case. This site is not counsel on this matter, nothing here is legal advice, and the allegations described are allegations unless a court has said otherwise.