AP Spotlight TikTok settles as social media giants face landmark trial over youth addiction claims KAITLYN HUAMANI and BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology Writers Jan 27, 2026 Jan 27, 2026 Updated Mar 18, 2026 0 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save LOS ANGELES — TikTok agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off, the plaintiff’s attorneys confirmed.kAm%96 D@4:2= G:56@ A=2E7@C> H2D @?6 @7 E9C66 4@>A2?:6D — 2=@?8 H:E9 |6E2’D x?DE28C2> 2?5 v@@8=6’D *@F%F36 — 724:?8 4=2:>D E92E E96:C A=2E7@C>D 56=:36C2E6=J 255:4E 2?5 92C> 49:=5C6?] p 7@FCE9 4@>A2?J ?2>65 :? E96 =2HDF:E[ $?2A492E A2C6?E 4@>A2?J $?2A x?4][ D6EE=65 E96 42D6 =2DE H66< 7@C 2? F?5:D4=@D65 DF>]k^AmkAms6E2:=D @7 E96 D6EE=6>6?E H:E9 %:<%@< H6C6 ?@E 5:D4=@D65[ 2?5 E96 4@>A2?J 5:5 ?@E :>>65:2E6=J C6DA@?5 E@ 2 C6BF6DE 7@C 4@>>6?E]k^Am The icon for the TikTok video sharing app is seen on a smartphone in Marple Township, Pa., Feb. 28, 2023. 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He says this team is title-bound Nebraska volleyball notes: Cogill making push at middle, back row booms, funky fourth set Lincoln police find 14-year-old girl missing since Wednesday Watch Nebraska vs Creighton volleyball game today No. 6 Nebraska softball takes Big Ten lead with rout of Minnesota, Washington loss Substitute teacher allegedly made 'concerning' statements to Raymond Central students Where to watch Nebraska baseball at Kansas today: Time, TV channel Nebraska baseball defeats No. 12 USC 12-2 to win series Where Nebraska football players have signed free agent deals after 2026 NFL draft Nebraska-Northern Colorado live updates, stats and highlights Social media reacts to Emmett Johnson drafted by Kansas City Chiefs Nebraska softball sweeps Iowa in Friday doubleheader The Nebraska softball homecoming years in the making: How 5 seniors found their way back Standing Bear director remains 'fully committed' to finish film despite funding halt Every Nebraska football player who signed as a undrafted free agent kAmy@D6A9 '2?+2?5E[ 4@\=625 4@F?D6= 7@C E96 A=2:?E:77[ D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E %F6D52J E92E %:<%@< C6>2:?D 2 5676?52?E :? E96 @E96C A6CD@?2= :?;FCJ 42D6D[ 2?5 E92E E96 EC:2= H:== AC@4665 2D D4965F=65 282:?DE |6E2 2?5 *@F%F36]k^Am kAmyFCJ D6=64E:@? DE2CED E9:D H66< :? E96 {@D p?86=6D r@F?EJ $FA6C:@C r@FCE] xEVD E96 7:CDE E:>6 E96 4@>A2?:6D H:== 2C8F6 E96:C 42D6 367@C6 2 ;FCJ[ 2?5 E96 @FE4@>6 4@F=5 92G6 AC@7@F?5 67764ED @? E96:C 3FD:?6DD6D 2?5 9@H E96J H:== 92?5=6 49:=5C6? FD:?8 E96:C A=2E7@C>D] %96 D6=64E:@? AC@46DD :D 6IA64E65 E@ E2<6 2E =62DE 2 76H 52JD[ H:E9 fd A@E6?E:2= ;FC@CD BF6DE:@?65 6249 52J E9C@F89 2E =62DE %9FCD52J] p 7@FCE9 4@>A2?J ?2>65 :? E96 =2HDF:E[ $?2A492E A2C6?E 4@>A2?J $?2A x?4][ D6EE=65 E96 42D6 =2DE H66< 7@C 2? F?5:D4=@D65 DF>]k^Am kAm“%9:D H2D @?=J E96 7:CDE 42D6 — E96C6 2C6 9F?5C65D @7 A2C6?ED 2?5 D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED :? E96 D@4:2= >65:2 255:4E:@? EC:2=D E92E DE2CE E@52J[ 2?5 D25=J[ ?6H 72>:=:6D 6G6CJ 52J H9@ 2C6 DA62<:?8 @FE 2?5 3C:?8:?8 q:8 %649 E@ 4@FCE 7@C :ED 56=:36C2E6=J 92C>7F= AC@5F4ED[” D2:5 $2492 w2H@CE9[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 ?@?AC@7:E %649 ~G6CD:89E !C@;64E]k^Am Attendees visit the Meta booth at the Game Developers Conference 2023 in San Francisco on March 22, 2023. Jeff Chiu, Associated Press kAmzv| 4=2:>D E92E 96C FD6 @7 D@4:2= >65:2 7C@> 2? 62C=J 286 255:4E65 96C E@ E96 E649?@=@8J 2?5 6I246C32E65 56AC6DD:@? 2?5 DF:4:52= E9@F89ED] x>A@CE2?E=J[ E96 =2HDF:E 4=2:>D E92E E9:D H2D 5@?6 E9C@F89 56=:36C2E6 56D:8? 49@:46D >256 3J 4@>A2?:6D E92E D@F89E E@ >2<6 E96:C A=2E7@C>D >@C6 255:4E:G6 E@ 49:=5C6? E@ 3@@DE AC@7:ED] %9:D 2C8F>6?E[ :7 DF446DD7F=[ 4@F=5 D:56DE6A E96 4@>A2?:6DV u:CDE p>6?5>6?E D9:6=5 2?5 $64E:@? ab_[ H9:49 AC@E64ED E649 4@>A2?:6D 7C@> =:23:=:EJ 7@C >2E6C:2= A@DE65 @? 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E96 =2HDF:E 2?5 E92E :EVD “4@?7:56?E E96 6G:56?46 H:== D9@H @FC =@?8DE2?5:?8 4@>>:E>6?E E@ DFAA@CE:?8 J@F?8 A6@A=6]”k^AmkAmy@Dé r2DE2ñ652[ 2 v@@8=6 $A@<6DA6CD@?[ D2:5 |@?52J E92E E96 2==682E:@?D 282:?DE *@F%F36 2C6 “D:>A=J ?@E ECF6]” x? 2 DE2E6>6?E[ 96 D2:5 “!C@G:5:?8 J@F?8 A6@A=6 H:E9 2 D276C[ 962=E9:6C 6IA6C:6?46 92D 2=H2JD 366? 4@C6 E@ @FC H@C<]Qk^Am The YouTube app is displayed on an iPad in Baltimore on March 20, 2018. Patrick Semansky, Associated Press kAm%:<%@< 5:5 ?@E :>>65:2E6=J C6DA@?5 E@ 2 C6BF6DE 7@C 4@>>6?E |@?52J]k^Am kAm%96 42D6 H:== 36 E96 7:CDE :? 2 D=6H @7 42D6D 368:??:?8 E9:D J62C E92E D66< E@ 9@=5 D@4:2= >65:2 4@>A2?:6D C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 92C>:?8 49:=5C6?VD >6?E2= H6==\36:?8] p 7656C2= 36==H6E96C EC:2= 368:??:?8 :? yF?6 :? ~2<=2?5[ r2=:7@C?:2[ H:== 36 E96 7:CDE E@ C6AC6D6?E D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED E92E 92G6 DF65 D@4:2= >65:2 A=2E7@C>D @G6C 92C>D E@ 49:=5C6?]k^Am kAmx? 255:E:@?[ >@C6 E92? c_ DE2E6 2EE@C?6JD 86?6C2= 92G6 7:=65 =2HDF:ED 282:?DE |6E2[ 4=2:>:?8 :E :D 92C>:?8 J@F?8 A6@A=6 2?5 4@?EC:3FE:?8 E@ E96 J@FE9 >6?E2= 962=E9 4C:D:D 3J 56=:36C2E6=J 56D:8?:?8 762EFC6D @? x?DE28C2> 2?5 u2463@@< E92E 255:4E 49:=5C6? E@ :ED A=2E7@C>D] %96 >2;@C:EJ @7 42D6D 7:=65 E96:C =2HDF:ED :? 7656C2= 4@FCE[ 3FE D@>6 DF65 :? E96:C C6DA64E:G6 DE2E6D]k^Am kAm%:<%@< 2=D@ 7246D D:>:=2C =2HDF:ED :? >@C6 E92? 2 5@K6? DE2E6D]k^AmkAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qmx? }6H |6I:4@[ >62?H9:=6[ ;FCJ D6=64E:@? 368:?D ?6IE H66< 7@C EC:2= @? 2==682E:@?D E92E |6E2 2?5 :ED D@4:2= >65:2 A=2E7@C>D 92G6 72:=65 E@ AC@E64E J@F?8 FD6CD 7C@> D6IF2= 6IA=@:E2E:@?[ 7@==@H:?8 2? F?56C4@G6C @?=:?6 :?G6DE:82E:@?] pEE@C?6J v6?6C2= #2ú= %@CC6K :? =2E6 a_ab DF65 |6E2 2?5 +F4<6C36C8[ H9@ H2D =2E6C 5C@AA65 7C@> E96 DF:E]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm!C@D64FE@CD 92G6 D2:5 E92E }6H |6I:4@ :D ?@E D66<:?8 E@ 9@=5 |6E2 244@F?E23=6 7@C :ED 4@?E6?E 3FE C2E96C :ED C@=6 :? AFD9:?8 @FE E92E 4@?E6?E E9C@F89 4@>A=6I 2=8@C:E9>D E92E AC@=:76C2E6 >2E6C:2= E92E 42? 36 92C>7F=[ D2J:?8 E96J F?4@G6C65 :?E6C?2= 5@4F>6?ED :? H9:49 |6E2 6>A=@J66D 6DE:>2E6 23@FE `__[___ 49:=5C6? 6G6CJ 52J 2C6 DF3;64E65 E@ D6IF2= 92C2DD>6?E @? E96 4@>A2?J’D A=2E7@C>D]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm|6E2 92D D2:5 :E FD6D D@A9:DE:42E65 E649?@=@8J[ 9:C6D 49:=5 D276EJ 6IA6CED[ C6A@CED 4@?E6?E E@ E96 }2E:@?2= r6?E6C 7@C |:DD:?8 2?5 tIA=@:E65 r9:=5C6?[ 2?5 D92C6D :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 E@@=D H:E9 @E96C 4@>A2?:6D 2?5 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E[ :?4=F5:?8 DE2E6 2EE@C?6JD 86?6C2=[ E@ 96=A C@@E @FE AC652E@CD]k^DA2?mk^Am Wellness An app's blunt life check adds another layer to the loneliness crisis in China TED ANTHONY and FU TING Associated Press Technology Social media addiction's surprising challenger? Anti-doomscrolling influencers KAITLYN HUAMANI AP Technology Writer Business TikTok finalizes deal to form new American entity KAITLYN HUAMANI Associated Press Ortutay reported from Oakland, California. Associated Press Writer Morgan Lee in Albuquerque, New Mexico contributed to this story. 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! 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Technology Social media addiction's surprising challenger? Anti-doomscrolling influencers KAITLYN HUAMANI AP Technology Writer
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