Reviewed by the legal team at Estey & Bomberger, LLP · Updated November 14, 2026
Latest News: November 2026
Every California bellwether has now settled before trial. On November 2, 2026, Snap settled with the last two plaintiffs scheduled for trial in Los Angeles during jury selection — after TikTok, YouTube and Meta had already settled with them. The next California trials are set for March 2027. The first federal trial, a school-district case in MDL 3047, is set to begin with jury selection on February 3, 2027.
Meanwhile, TikTok, Meta and Google sued on November 4 to block a new California law (AB 1709) that would ban autoplay and personalized feeds for users under 16 starting in January 2027.
What's Coming Next
- Mar 16 & Aug 6, 2027More California bellwether trials scheduled
Judge Kuhl set three JCCP 5255 cases for trial in March 2027 and one more in August 2027.
- Feb 3, 2027First federal MDL trial scheduled
Jury selection is set for the Tucson Unified School District bellwether in MDL 3047, with trial starting Feb. 8. Charleston County, S.C., will be tried separately.
Full Timeline
- Nov 12, 2026 · Court ruling · TikTokWitness fight ahead of first MDL trial
YouTube, Snap and Meta moved to exclude witnesses the school districts disclosed late. TikTok said it would agree to the added witnesses if it could call the new CEO of its U.S. joint venture.
- Nov 5, 2026 · Court ruling · TikTokAppeals court upholds dismissal of four school-district suits
A California Court of Appeal affirmed the dismissal of state-court claims brought by four school districts against Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap. The ruling concerned school-district economic claims, not individual injury cases.
- Nov 4, 2026 · New filing · TikTokTikTok, Meta and Google sue to block California law
The companies filed suit to block California AB 1709, which bans autoplay and personalized feeds for users under 16 starting January 2027.
- Nov 2, 2026 · SettlementSnap settles second California trial
Snap settled with both plaintiffs (S.J. and K.D.B.) during jury selection, so the trial never opened. TikTok, YouTube and Meta had already settled with them. Terms are confidential.
- Oct 30, 2026 · SettlementMeta settles second California bellwether
Meta settled with K.D.B. just before trial, after settling with S.J. days earlier.
- Oct 21, 2026 · VerdictNew Mexico: $25 billion penalty against Meta
After a jury found Meta violated New Mexico law, the court set a civil penalty of about $25 billion plus interest in the state’s data-practices case. Meta plans to appeal.
- Oct 8, 2026 · New filing · TikTokArizona sues TikTok
Arizona’s Attorney General sued TikTok in Maricopa County Superior Court under the state Consumer Fraud Act.
- Sep 28, 2026 · Court rulingFederal judge sets first MDL trials
Case Management Order 37 set the Tucson and Charleston school-district trials to be tried separately and paused claims against X, Roblox and Discord.
- Sep 25, 2026 · Settlement · TikTokAlabama settles with TikTok
Days before trial, TikTok agreed to pay Alabama at least $100 million (reported as $116.2 million) and up to $300 million. It also agreed to a 2-hour daily limit for minors, a midnight–6 a.m. block, break reminders, age verification, a non-personalized feed by default and no cosmetic filters for teens.
- Sep 10, 2026 · Court ruling · TikTokTexas judge rules TikTok broke consumer law
A Travis County judge granted partial summary judgment that TikTok violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act through statements about content moderation and Restricted Mode. Penalties are pending while TikTok appeals.
- Aug 26, 2026 · Settlement · TikTokMeta settles with the states for up to ~$17 billion
Eight days into trial, Meta agreed to a consent judgment with state attorneys general worth up to about $17 billion over 10 years and new teen-safety defaults. About 30% depends on peers such as TikTok and YouTube adopting matching protections. Meta also settled with Texas for more than $1 billion.
- Aug 10, 2026 · Court ruling · TikTokNinth Circuit dismisses TikTok and Meta appeals
The federal appeals court dismissed the platforms’ Section 230 appeals as premature, holding Section 230 is a defense to liability, not immunity from being sued. The cases continue.
- Aug 6, 2026 · VerdictNew Mexico: $942 million judgment against Meta
A $375 million jury penalty plus a $567 million abatement award in New Mexico’s child-safety case. The judgment is stayed while Meta challenges it.
- Aug 3, 2026 · Settlement · TikTokTikTok settles three more teen cases
TikTok reached confidential settlements with plaintiffs S.J., P.M.Y. and K.D.B. ahead of their bellwether trials in Los Angeles.
- Jun–Jul 2026 · Settlement · TikTokR.K.C. bellwether resolved before trial
YouTube, TikTok (about June 30) and Snap settled; the plaintiff dropped Meta, and the July trial was vacated.
- Jun 9, 2026 · Court rulingK.G.M. verdict upheld
Judge Kuhl denied Meta and YouTube’s motions for a new trial and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, holding that Section 230 does not bar claims about design features. The case is on appeal.
- May 2026 · Settlement · TikTokFirst federal school-district bellwether settles (~$27M)
Breathitt County (Ky.) School District settled before trial for about $27 million combined, reportedly including about $8 million from TikTok.
- Mar 25, 2026 · VerdictFirst jury verdict: $6 million against Meta and YouTube
A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and liable for failing to warn: $3 million compensatory (70% Meta, 30% YouTube) plus $3 million punitive.
- Jan 27, 2026 · Settlement · TikTokTikTok settles the first trial
TikTok settled with K.G.M. on the eve of the first social media addiction trial in Los Angeles. Snap settled the week before.
- Oct 2024 · New filing · TikTok14 attorneys general sue TikTok
After a two-year investigation, 14 state attorneys general filed suits alleging TikTok was designed to addict kids. Redacted portions of Kentucky’s complaint revealed internal TikTok research.
- Nov 14, 2023 · Court rulingFederal court lets design-defect claims proceed
Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled that claims about the platforms’ own design choices — weak parental controls, weak age verification, no screen-time limits, barriers to deleting accounts — and failure to warn can go forward.
- Oct 6, 2022 · Court rulingMDL 3047 created
Federal cases against TikTok, Meta, YouTube and Snap were centralized in the Northern District of California before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
Key Courts and Judges
| Proceeding | Court | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MDL No. 3047, In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation | U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal. (Oakland), Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers | About 4,300 cases pending; first trial February 2027 |
| JCCP 5255, Social Media Cases | Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl | About 3,000 cases; $6M K.G.M. verdict on appeal; next trials March 2027 |
| State attorney general cases | State courts nationwide | Alabama settled with TikTok; Texas won a liability ruling; others proceeding |
Sources include court orders, company securities filings and news reporting. Dates reported by different outlets sometimes vary by a few days.
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