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Social Media MDL

Dec. 2025 Quarterly Client Update

Dear Superintendent and Board Members,

This email provides our attorney client privileged quarterly update on your district’s case in the ongoing multi-district litigation (MDL) against the major social media companies. We continue to make significant progress on behalf of school districts.

As a refresher, in this case thousands of school districts across the country have joined the litigation seeking to recover the increased cost of educating students caused by social media addiction of students. We’re excited to be representing your district.

In this correspondence we give a detailed update and have created a 5-minute executive summary video (below) for you to play to your Board of Trustees in EXECUTIVE SESSION ONLY. **We will send a reminder to include this on the Q1-2026 agendas in early January.**

Attorney Client Privileged Communication - This correspondence and accompanying video contains litigation strategy and is intended for School District client viewing only and cannot be shared with the public or non-client School Districts. Please DO NOT share this letter or play the Board Update Video in an open session of a school board meeting. If played at a school board meeting, only do so in Executive Session.

Further information

Discovery and Case Preparation

The discovery phase of this litigation is intensive and moving forward. We are currently finalizing our review of extensive information for the districts, which includes analyzing the Plaintiff Fact Sheet data submitted and preparing our own comprehensive filings. This foundational work is crucial for building each case.

To date, the discovery process has been robust. So far in this case 7.6 Million documents have been produced by Defendants and 600+ depositions have been conducted, involving expert and fact witnesses from both the plaintiffs' and the defendants' sides.

The Bellwether Trial Process

As we have discussed, this MDL is utilizing a "bellwether" trial process. This involves selecting a small, representative group of cases to be tried first. The outcomes of these initial trials will provide critical insights for all parties and the Court, helping to clarify key legal and factual issues and shape the path forward for the remaining cases. These results often play a significant role in settlement negotiations.

The Court has established the following sequence for the first bellwether trials:

1. Breathitt County (Kentucky) Board of Education

2. Tucson (Arizona) Unified School District

3. Charleston County (South Carolina) School District

4. Irvington (New Jersey) Public Schools

5. DeKalb County (Illinois) School District

6. Board of Education of Harford County (Maryland)

The bellwether districts were chosen to represent a cross-section of American schools, varying in size, student demographics, and geographic location. The first of these bellwether trials is scheduled to begin in June 2026. 

Related litigation for individual student cases is proceeding in California State Court. The first individual jury trial is scheduled to start on January 27, 2026. The liability portion of this case is closely related to school districts’ claims.  Attorney Generals have also brought claims for most states. The first AG trial is scheduled to begin in February in New Mexico. The results of these related cases could have a significant impact on school district cases.

Critical Motions: Summary Judgment & Expert Testimony

In response to the selection of the bellwether cases, the social media companies have filed several critical motions in an attempt to have the cases dismissed before they reach a jury.

Motions for Summary Judgment

The defendants have asked the Court to rule in their favor and dismiss the cases without a trial. They argue that school districts cannot prove that their specific platforms are the direct cause of the youth mental health crisis and that they are not responsible for user-generated content. They also challenge the districts' financial claims for damages, calling them speculative "wish-lists."

On November 21, 2025, the Plaintiff Steering Committee and the bellwether districts filed a massive, thousand-plus page opposition. Our core argument is that there are significant factual disputes that must be decided by a jury. We have presented substantial evidence that the companies knowingly designed addictive products that fueled a mental health crisis, disrupted education, and failed to warn anyone of the known and documented risks to kids. We maintain that our requests for funding are not speculative but are concrete, expert-backed remedies required to address the harm caused by these platforms. A link to the publicly available School Districts' Omnibus Motion for Summary Judgment Response is included here.

Expert Challenge Motions

The defendants have also filed motions to exclude the testimony of the school districts' expert witnesses, arguing their opinions are not reliable or relevant. We have strongly opposed these motions, asserting that our experts and their methodologies are sound and their testimony is crucial for a jury to hear.

The date for the Judge to hear oral arguments on both the summary judgment and the expert testimony motions is scheduled for January 26, 2026.

Potential Outcomes & What Lies Ahead

The Court's rulings on these motions will be a major turning point. If the defendants' motions are denied, as we are advocating, the cases will proceed toward jury trials. A favorable ruling would be a significant victory, affirming that our evidence is strong enough for a jury to decide. This would also increase pressure on the defendants to consider a global settlement. The CEOs of the defendant companies have already been ordered by the Judge to appear and testify at trial, which underscores the seriousness of these proceedings.

The recent legal filings have generated a wave of positive media coverage, with major outlets highlighting the strength of the evidence uncovered against the social media companies. For your reference, here is some of that coverage:

• TIME: Meta Lawsuit Files Reveal What the Company Knew About Child Safety

• CNN: Social media companies knew their products were addictive and harmful to teens, new court documents allege

  
  

• REUTERS: Meta buried 'causal' evidence of social media harm, US court filings allege

  
  

• POLITICO: ‘We’re basically pushers’: Court filings allege staff at social media giants compared their platforms to drugs

This media attention is part of a growing global scrutiny of these platforms. For example, Australia recently announced the implementation of measures to ban social media for teens, signaling a worldwide shift in how governments are addressing the youth mental health crisis (Reuters).

Upcoming Dates & Trial Schedule

• December 15, 2025: Next Case Management Conference with the Court

• January 6, 2026: 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hearing on Motion to Dismiss Denial Appeal

• January 26, 2026: Oral Arguments on the Motions for Summary Judgment and Daubert Motions

• January 27, 2026: Individual Student Case Trial

• February 2026: New Mexico v. Meta, State AG Case

• Summer 2026: The Court has currently reserved June for the first bellwether trials.

Action Items & Status Update on Case Filings

This section outlines the next steps for districts at various stages of the data collection and filing process. Please review the category that applies to your district.

For Districts That Have NOT Yet Submitted their Fact Sheet:

If you have not yet completed the Plaintiff Fact Sheet (PFS) and Supplemental Plaintiff Fact Sheet (SPFS), we ask that you do so as soon as possible. These documents are essential for filing your case.

• Access the Online Tool: We have partnered with Moak Casey to provide an online portal that streamlines this process by pre-populating much of the required data from PEIMS. Please designate a staff member to log in, review the data for accuracy, and complete any remaining questions.

  
  

• Submit Within 30 Days: We ask that you submit the completed forms within thirty (30) days of receiving access. If you need an extension, please contact our team.

  
  

For Districts That HAVE Submitted Fact Sheets:

• If you have received notice that your case has been filed: No further action is required from you at this time.

  
  

• If you have submitted your forms but have not yet received a filing notice: Please be assured that we are reviewing all submitted documents on a rolling basis. By the end of this month (December 2025), our initial review will be complete. We will only contact your district if revisions are needed, at which point you will receive comments through the Moak Casey PFS tool. If you do not receive a request for edits by the end of the month, your submission is considered complete and your case is being prepared for filing.

  
  

• Action Required for Edits: If you receive a request for edits, we ask that you review the comments and resubmit your Fact Sheets through the PFS tool as soon as possible. Your prompt response is critical to allow us to finalize your documents and proceed with filing your case.

Our team is on standby to answer any questions and support you through this process. Your timely attention to these items is crucial for advancing your district’s case.

Next Steps

As the litigation moves forward, it is our goal to make participation in this case as easy as possible for your administration. Our legal team is committed to meticulously tracking all deadlines, procedural developments, and court orders, and will continue to provide you with regular, detailed updates at every stage.

We encourage you to reach out with any questions or requests for clarification. Our priority is to ensure your district is well-prepared and fully informed as the case evolves. We will continue to advocate for your interests, collaborate closely with district counsel, and offer guidance on emerging requirements and opportunities.

Sincerely,