Brockstedt Mandalas Federico represents more than 80 school districts in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) against TikTok, Meta, and YouTube, alleging that social media platforms contributed to student addiction and related harms. Law360 covered the recent hearing before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in which she set the first bellwether trial for June 15, 2026.
The litigation centers on allegations that social media platforms designed addictive features—like infinite scroll, autoplay, notifications, and reward mechanisms—that negatively impact students’ mental health, attention, and educational outcomes. School districts are seeking reimbursement for resources spent addressing these harms and measures to prevent future impacts.
Partner Matt Legg and the team at Brockstedt Mandalas Federico, working alongside co-counsel, highlighted internal corporate documents suggesting that these platforms targeted students to increase usage during school hours. Judge Gonzalez Rogers noted that these factual disputes are appropriate for a jury, signaling the case will move forward.
The next MDL hearing is scheduled for February 11, 2026. The case is In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, docket number 4:22-md-03047 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Read the full article here: https://www.law360.com/compliance/articles/2432042/social-media-cos-fight-uphill-to-end-schools-addiction-mdl
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