Snapchat’s parent company, Snap, has reached a settlement in a high-profile social media addiction lawsuit just days before the case was set to go to trial in Los Angeles.

The settlement terms were not disclosed. At a California Superior Court hearing, lawyers confirmed the resolution, and Snap told the BBC that both parties were “pleased to have been able to resolve this matter in an amicable manner.”

Other tech giants named in the lawsuit, including Instagram owner Meta, TikTok parent ByteDance, and YouTube owner Alphabet, have not settled.

The lawsuit was filed by a 19-year-old woman, identified only by her initials K.G.M., who claimed that the platforms’ algorithmic designs left her addicted and negatively impacted her mental health.

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With Snap now settled, the trial will proceed against Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet, with jury selection scheduled for 27 January. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify, while Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was slated to appear before the settlement.

Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet did not respond to BBC requests for comment regarding Snap’s settlement.

Snap remains a defendant in other consolidated social media addiction lawsuits. Legal experts say the cases could test a long-standing defense used by social media companies, which relies on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996 to avoid liability for content posted by third parties.

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Plaintiffs argue that the platforms are intentionally designed to foster addictive behavior through algorithms and notifications, contributing to mental health issues such as depression and eating disorders. Social media companies maintain that the evidence presented so far does not establish responsibility for these alleged harms.

#With inputs from BBC