Greetings!

It's been a busy month for Fund IRL.

With more than 50 national partners and coalition members in 47 states, our coalition continues to grow as we work to ensure that any funds resulting from lawsuits over social media harms are invested back into young people and their communities. This summer, we're elevating youth voice and leadership in the movement by supporting 10 state partners (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Utah) to engage young people in identifying solutions and informing advocacy. At the same time, coalition members have come together to develop draft guidance on investing potential social media litigation funds, creating a shared roadmap for decision-makers as cases continue to advance.

With trials accelerating, settlement discussions emerging, and policymakers beginning to consider how potential funds could be used, this is a pivotal moment to shape investments that support young people's well-being. Here’s what’s happening across the coalition.

We’re growing! Children’s Funding Project is hiring for a Senior Manager, Fund IRL State Coalition - please share this job listing with colleagues who would be a good fit!

Momentum Continues in Social Media Litigation

Over the past few months, the conversation about social media company lawsuits has shifted from “will the lawsuits survive?” to “what will accountability look like?” States continue to file new lawsuits (most recently, Arkansas v. Snap and Florida v. TikTok), and several signals indicate that pressure is building for social media companies to resolve cases with states, school districts, and individuals:

Four states seeking $1.4 trillion in damages from Meta: Ahead of the August trial between Meta and California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey, Meta disclosed that the four states are seeking up to $1.4 trillion in civil penalties, alleging the company deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for youth and misled the public about their safety. Meta denies the allegations and calls the proposed penalties unprecedented.

Meta loses attempt to dismiss state claims: In June, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers denied Meta's motion to dismiss claims brought by 29 states alleging Facebook and Instagram are addictive. The ruling clears the way for trial this August involving California, Colorado, Kentucky, and New Jersey. Because Judge Gonzalez Rogers oversees the 2,600+ cases consolidated in MDL 3047, the decision is an important milestone for litigation nationwide.

First school district bellwether trial settles: Last month, Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snap reached a $27 million settlement with Breathitt County School District of Kentucky, avoiding a June trial. Breathitt County was the first school district to go to trial in federal court, chosen as a bellwether out of 1,300+ school district cases to come, and claimed the district incurred significant costs addressing student mental health needs caused by addictive social media platforms. The school district says it will use the settlement funds to address student mental health and use of social media platforms, and allocation decisions will be made during its annual budget process.

TikTok and YouTube settle second bellwether trial with a young person: TikTok and YouTube reached confidential settlements with a 15-year-old from Florida who claimed the platforms harmed his mental health. The case was chosen as a second bellwether case with an individual, and the trial will continue in late July with Meta and Snap. These settlements come shortly after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied Meta and YouTube’s requests for a new trial following the landmark bellwether verdict this March with a 20-year-old woman that resulted in $6 million in damages.

Federal legislation could limit state accountability efforts. While litigation continues to advance, Congress is considering the KIDS Act, which 44 state attorneys general and several child online safety and parent survivor groups argue could limit states' ability to hold social media companies accountable and protect young people. The bill has passed the House and now moves to the Senate.

Gathering Youth Input on Fund IRL Guidance on Use of Funds from Social Media Litigation

This week, coalition members joined Boys and Girls Club of America’s Summit for America’s Youth to hear directly from young people on the question, “If billions of dollars resulted from social media lawsuits, what do you think the funding should be spent on?” Their input will directly influence Fund IRL’s draft Guidance on the Use of Funds from Social Media Litigation, modeled after the Johns Hopkins University principles developed for opioid settlement funds. The guidance reflects months of collaboration across the Fund IRL coalition and incorporates feedback from advocates, experts, and young people. We’ll share a final draft in time for the upcoming August multi-state trial.

Coalition Member Spotlights

New Mexico Out-of-School Time (NMOST) Roundtable with New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez

This month, NMOST hosted an excellent virtual roundtable on youth digital safety and the role of afterschool programs, featuring Attorney General Raúl Torrez and three afterschool providers implementing digital safety programs. In the webinar, Attorney General Torrez explained New Mexico’s historic Meta verdict, the status of the current trial phase, and the implications for the state lawsuits nationwide. Check out the webinar recording (and use password 35cDa.W@).

Wisconsin Partnership for Kids Hosts Kids vs. Legislators Kickball Game

Thank you to Wisconsin Partnership for Kids and Wisconsin Youth Company for uplifting the power of IRL, screen-free connection through a kickball game between kids and legislators, hosted at a summer camp! See local news coverage.

Also, Daniel Gage of Wisconsin Partnership for Kids shared a piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel encouraging payouts be allocated to building quality afterschool and summer programs to provide "exactly what social media cannot: trusted adult mentors and genuine sense of belonging."

Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Alliance for Thriving Youth Webinar feature Fund IRL Coalition Members

Last month, our Fund IRL coalition joined Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Alliance for Youth Thriving for an exciting webinar discussion on investing potential payouts from state lawsuits against social media companies into young people's well-being. Powerful youth voices made clear the importance of investing in safer digital spaces for young people and more opportunities for in real life connection. Perspectives from coalition members from Inseparable and Fairplay underscored the importance of coming together as a field to make the most of this moment.

Mindful Philanthropy Encourages an Upstream Approach to Supporting Youth Mental Health

We love Mindful Philanthropy’s recent report, The Upstream Philanthropic Blueprint for Youth Mental Health, which emphasizes the importance of philanthropic investment earlier rather than later to support the conditions that help young people flourish. The report underscores the importance of investing in sports, arts, play, mentoring, and organizations that create opportunities for social connection with peers and caring adults, a sense of belonging, and skill mastery.

Join the Team:

Children’s Funding Project is seeking a Senior Manager to support the growing Fund IRL State Coalition activity across the country. Please share the job posting with anyone who would be a good fit for the team and the mission! Reach out to allie@childrensfundingproject.org with questions.

Take Action:

Interested in Fund IRL advocacy opportunities in your state?

Find and contact your state coordinator using the state network directory on the Fund IRL website. If your state doesn’t yet have a state coordinator, contact hello@fundirl.org.

Fund IRL Webinar August 4th!

Register for our next Fund IRL webinar on August 4 featuring youth speakers from #HalfTheStory and Eleanor Blume from the Office of the Attorney General of California.

Turn social media accountability into opportunity. Fund youth well-being.

Fund IRL is an initiative of Children’s Funding Project