Published September 30, 2026
The next jury trial in California's coordinated social media addiction litigation is set to open in Los Angeles on October 28, 2026. It will be the first time two plaintiffs' claims are tried together in the proceeding, and it follows March's landmark verdict against Meta and YouTube in the first case to reach a jury.
The plaintiffs are two young people identified by their initials: S.J., a 15-year-old from Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi. Both allege that the design of the platforms they used as minors fostered compulsive use that harmed their mental health. On August 28, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl agreed to try their cases together before one jury, concluding that the differences between their claims could be handled with appropriate jury management. Meta had opposed the move, arguing a joint trial would confuse jurors.
The defendants will be Meta, YouTube, and Snap. TikTok is out of this trial after reaching confidential settlements in early August with both plaintiffs, as well as with a third plaintiff, P.M.Y., who had been slated for the same October setting. P.M.Y. then dismissed the remaining claims against the other companies on August 20 rather than go to trial.
The two sides met in court on Tuesday, September 29, for the final status conference before trial, where they argued over what evidence jurors will be allowed to hear, Law360 reported. One disputed request from the defendants: permission to tell the jury that attorney advertising prompted the families to sue, which they say goes to the plaintiffs' credibility. Detailed rulings from that hearing had not been widely reported at publication time.
Separately, Judge Kuhl has refused Meta's bid to block testimony from Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, so both executives are expected to be called as witnesses.
The coordinated state proceeding includes roughly 3,000 to 3,300 cases. More trials are already on the calendar: three cases from the first discovery pool are set for March 16, 2027, and one case from a newer pool is set for August 6, 2027. The separate federal MDL continues on its own track, and personal injury claims were not part of Meta's recent settlement with state attorneys general. Verdicts in these trials are closely watched because they help both sides value the thousands of cases still waiting.
If your child developed anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, self-harm, or other harms linked to compulsive social media use, see Atumio's social media addiction case page for a free eligibility review, or start your case review directly.