A 15-year-old girl from New Jersey has dropped her lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Google and Snap Inc., abandoning a test case that was among the first scheduled to determine how juries might view claims that major social media companies deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to young users, according to Reuters.

The plaintiff, identified in California court records as P.M-Y., withdrew her claims Thursday, Aug. 20, according to a court filing, without receiving any payment from the remaining defendants. TikTok, which had also been named as a defendant in her case, had previously settled her claims separately.

The teen’s lawsuit had alleged that Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, along with Google and Snap, contributed to her social media addiction, depression and self-harm. Emily Jeffcott, an attorney representing P.M-Y., said in a statement that her client chose to dismiss the remainder of her claims out of a desire to move forward with her life. Jeffcott said her client had “initiated this process with the goal of holding social media companies accountable and to push for changes to protect young people like herself.”

P.M-Y.’s case was among more than 3,300 individual personal injury lawsuits consolidated in California state court in Los Angeles, part of a broader wave of litigation brought by individuals, states and school districts against major social media companies over allegations their platforms cause harm to children. Her case had been selected as one of three so-called “bellwether,” or test, cases scheduled to go to trial in October. Attorneys frequently rely on bellwether verdicts to gauge how juries are likely to respond to similar claims across a larger pool of consolidated cases, using those early results to help assess the potential value of remaining lawsuits and to inform broader settlement negotiations.

Meta addressed the dismissal in a statement, drawing a distinction it said applied broadly across the consolidated litigation. “This plaintiff had a significant mental health condition that pre-dated her use of social media, and it’s clear that many of these cases fit the same pattern,” the company said, adding that it intends to vigorously defend against the remaining cases still pending.

Google-owned YouTube characterized the dismissal as consistent with its own longstanding position on platform safety. “Our longstanding position that we provide safe, age-appropriate experiences and strong parental controls for young people and families,” the company said in a statement responding to the case’s dismissal. A Snap spokesperson separately said the company remains focused on strengthening safeguards, tools and educational resources designed to support users’ safety, privacy and overall well-being.

Two additional bellwether cases brought by teenagers making similar claims against the same group of companies remain scheduled for trial in October, according to court records reviewed by Reuters. TikTok has already reached settlements in both of those remaining cases, mirroring its earlier resolution of P.M-Y.’s claims.

The dismissal follows a similar pattern from a separate bellwether case that concluded before reaching trial in July, when a different teenage plaintiff dropped his claims against Meta after the other named defendants in his case had already reached settlements.

The broader litigation has already produced at least one significant jury verdict. The first individual trial within the consolidated litigation concluded in March, resulting in a jury awarding $4.2 million in damages against Meta and $1.8 million against Google in a case brought by a woman who alleged she became addicted to social media platforms at a young age due to their attention-grabbing design. TikTok and Snap had settled that particular case before it reached trial.

Meta is currently defending itself in two separate, larger-scale trials examining similar allegations brought by state governments rather than individual plaintiffs. One trial, which began this week in federal court in Oakland, California, involves claims brought by 29 states alleging Meta designed its platforms to be addictive to children and misled the public regarding their safety. A separate trial addressing similar claims brought specifically by the state of Tennessee is proceeding concurrently in state court in Nashville.

The companies named across this broader wave of litigation have consistently denied the underlying allegations, maintaining that they have implemented extensive measures to protect teenage and younger users on their platforms. Even as individual bellwether cases such as P.M-Y.’s have been dismissed or settled ahead of trial, the two ongoing state-led trials in Oakland and Nashville represent what legal observers have characterized as a more significant near-term test of how courts and juries may ultimately assess the broader claims underlying thousands of similar lawsuits still pending against major social media companies nationwide.

With P.M-Y.’s case now dismissed and two other individual bellwether trials still scheduled for October, attorneys on both sides of the broader litigation are likely to continue closely watching how those remaining test cases unfold, given their potential influence on settlement negotiations and legal strategy across the thousands of similar claims still working their way through the consolidated California litigation and other related lawsuits filed by individuals, school districts and state governments across the country.

This story discusses topics including depression, self-harm and addiction, which can be difficult to read about, particularly as they relate to a minor. If you or someone you know is struggling with self-harm, depression or a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7, or visit 988lifeline.org for additional support and resources.

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ZANDVOORT, Netherlands — Lando Norris claimed victory at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, securing back-to-back wins and closing in on the leader of the Formula 1 championship standings, while home favorite Max Verstappen suffered a violent crash on the opening lap of the race in front of his home crowd.

Norris, who started from pole position, crossed the finish line 11.536 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli, delivering a commanding performance in what became a chaotic race around the Zandvoort circuit. George Russell fended off Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages to secure the final podium position for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five, more than 17 seconds off the pace.

The victory extends Norris’ recent momentum following his win at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which had marked the first breakthrough of a difficult title defense for the reigning world champion. Despite Sunday’s win, Norris remains 83 points behind Antonelli in the standings, sitting fourth overall, though his performance reinforced his position back within the broader championship conversation. Reflecting on the race afterward, Norris credited both the difficulty of the fight and the strength of his strategy. “I made it tough for myself today, but a good race,” Norris said. “Well fought. Probably one of my better wins. We had to fight for it. The pace was very strong and I managed things incredibly well today. Over the moon, very happy and nice to win the final race here in Zandvoort.”

The most dramatic moment of the race came almost immediately after the start. Verstappen, competing in front of his passionate home crowd, had been locked in an aggressive battle with his temporary Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson during the opening exchanges. Having emerged from that duel, Verstappen appeared to clip a wheel on the kerb along the inside of Zandvoort’s steeply banked, 18-degree final corner before sliding across the track and crashing heavily into the barriers. The four-time world champion’s car bounced back across the racing surface directly ahead of Pierre Gasly and Arvid Lindblad, while a detached left-rear tire rolled away separately from the wreckage. Verstappen confirmed over team radio that he was unharmed as the race was immediately red-flagged. “Yeah that’s it. I’m sorry guys,” he said.

The chaos continued almost simultaneously elsewhere on track, as Gabriel Bortoleto spun his car, sending up a cloud of tire smoke through which his teammate Nico Hülkenberg had to navigate, narrowly avoiding a separate major collision. The race was halted for roughly 30 minutes before resuming.

Once racing got back underway, Antonelli and Norris went wheel-to-wheel through Turn 1, with the Mercedes driver forcing his way past the polesitter. Russell, meanwhile, was caught out by an ambitious move from Oscar Piastri, who dove up the inside to claim third position. Ferrari faced its own internal tension during the race, with Hamilton pushing his team over radio to allow him past teammate Leclerc, only for the team to instruct him to pit instead. Hamilton expressed clear frustration with that call before ultimately pitting a lap later. “Great way of wasting time guys, good job,” he said sarcastically over the radio.

Norris’ race-winning move came down to a well-timed strategic gamble. He made his final pit stop seven laps later than Antonelli, a decision aimed at closing the gap to the race leader on fresher tires. The strategy paid off decisively, as Norris charged down Antonelli and completed the pass around the outside of Turn 1 on lap 54 to retake the lead.

A virtual safety car period later in the race prompted Antonelli, Hamilton and Leclerc to all pit simultaneously, temporarily promoting Russell to second position, though the trio behind him returned to the track on fresher rubber. Russell quickly found himself under pressure from Antonelli, who closed in aggressively on his gearbox. Mercedes intervened directly, asking Russell to allow his championship-contending teammate through. Russell complied, though not without some visible frustration, understanding the move placed him at renewed risk from Hamilton closing in from behind. Russell ultimately held off that challenge, securing third place and preserving a result significant to his own championship position.

Following the race, Russell and Hamilton remain tied for third in the overall standings, sitting 59 points behind Antonelli. Russell had separately boosted his title prospects by winning Saturday’s sprint race at the same venue, adding to what has become an increasingly competitive multi-way battle for the championship as the season progresses.

Weather conditions added further unpredictability to Sunday’s race, with heavy rain sweeping through the seaside town roughly 45 minutes before the scheduled start. The track had dried sufficiently by the time the lights went out, however, allowing the full field to begin the race on slick tires rather than requiring an intermediate or wet-weather start.

With Norris now back within striking distance of the championship battle following consecutive victories, and Verstappen’s home race ending prematurely in a dramatic crash, the Dutch Grand Prix added further intensity to what has already developed into one of the more tightly contested Formula 1 title fights in recent seasons, with Antonelli, Norris, Russell and Hamilton all remaining in active contention as the season moves toward its concluding races.

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Apple’s long-rumored first foldable iPhone, widely expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, could go on sale as soon as Sept. 18 at a price above $2,000, according to a growing body of leaks that point toward a device built specifically to solve the visible screen crease that has affected every foldable phone released to date.

According to Yanko Design, the device is expected to be unveiled at Apple’s keynote event, anticipated for either Sept. 8 or 9, with a confirmed on-sale date reportedly set for Sept. 18. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s price estimate reportedly sets a floor above $2,000, with a ceiling as high as $2,500, according to the outlet, a range broadly consistent with pricing estimates circulating across multiple other reports.

The crease that appears at the fold line of every existing foldable phone has remained the category’s most persistent design flaw since the format’s introduction in 2019, according to Yanko Design, with manufacturers including Samsung, Google, Honor and Xiaomi all working to minimize its visibility without fully eliminating it. Apple is reportedly positioning a near-invisible crease as a central selling point of its own first foldable device.

According to multiple leaks compiled by PhoneArena, Apple is expected to rely on ultra-thin glass for the foldable display, a material more flexible than standard glass but somewhat less impact-resistant, allowing for a shallower, less visible crease at some cost to overall durability. The crease itself is reportedly expected to measure under 0.15 millimeters deep with a fold angle of roughly 2.5 degrees, a meaningful improvement over the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s reported 0.7-millimeter-deep crease at a 3-to-4-degree angle, according to PhoneArena’s reporting. A separate report cited by Beebom Gadgets similarly pointed to a 0.15-millimeter crease depth, though still deeper than the 0.05-millimeter figure reported for Oppo’s Find N6 foldable, suggesting Apple’s crease reduction, while significant, may not represent an outright industry first.

Central to Apple’s crease-reduction strategy is a reported liquid-metal hinge, sourced through a contract with Apple’s Liquidmetal Technologies partnership, according to Yanko Design, which described the material as an amorphous metallic alloy lacking the crystalline grain structure that causes conventional metals to deform under repeated stress. PhoneArena offered additional technical detail, reporting that Apple is separately said to be using a 3D-printed titanium hinge sealed with a filler material to close small gaps left by the printing process, a more cost-effective manufacturing approach than traditional precision machining. According to that outlet, Ming-Chi Kuo estimated Apple’s final hinge design costs between $70 and $80 per unit, roughly 20% below the $100 to $120 figure suggested by earlier leaks. PhoneArena also noted that early supply chain reports had flagged a minor hinge rattling issue, though more recent reporting suggests those concerns are being addressed ahead of mass production.

Display specifications reported across multiple outlets describe a device featuring a roughly 5.5-inch external cover screen and a larger internal foldable display, variously reported between 7.6 and 7.8 inches depending on the source. Geeky Gadgets reported both displays would be sourced from Samsung, citing a peak brightness of 3,000 nits and Ceramic Shield 2 glass for improved scratch resistance. Back Market similarly confirmed that Samsung will exclusively supply the foldable display under a three-year agreement announced in April, describing it as a notable partnership between the two longtime rivals in the smartphone display space. Multiple sources described the internal display’s aspect ratio as roughly 4:3, a squarer format Yanko Design suggested was intended to better support side-by-side app usage, closer in proportion to an iPad mini than to the taller, narrower internal displays used by rival foldables such as the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Yanko Design’s reporting also described a notable change to Apple’s biometric security approach for the device, with Touch ID reportedly returning via a side button rather than Face ID, a shift the outlet attributed to the physical constraints of fitting a structured-light Face ID sensor array into a chassis reportedly measuring just 4.8 millimeters when open. Multiple other outlets, including Back Market, confirmed the device is expected to lack Face ID entirely, along with a telephoto camera and some other camera hardware found on the standard iPhone 18 Pro lineup, reflecting design trade-offs inherent to a first-generation foldable device.

Processing power for the device is expected to come from Apple’s A20 Pro chip, reportedly built on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process, according to Yanko Design, paired with 12 gigabytes of RAM. Techable News additionally reported that the device is expected to feature vapor chamber cooling, the same heat-dissipation technology Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro, an addition that would help manage thermal output within the device’s slim folded profile.

Initial supply is expected to be significantly constrained. According to Yanko Design, Weibo-based leakers have suggested it could take Apple three to five months to reach a production target of 10 million units, meaning that while the device’s on-sale date may arrive as planned, widespread availability could remain limited well into the holiday shopping season. Back Market similarly cautioned that manufacturing constraints tied to surface-mount technology production could push broader availability into late 2026 or even into 2027, suggesting that even customers eager to purchase the device at launch may face significant availability challenges.

As with all pre-announcement Apple leaks, the specific pricing, launch date, technical specifications and design details outlined across these various reports remain unconfirmed by Apple directly and are subject to change ahead of any official unveiling. Given the volume and increasing consistency of leaks pointing toward a September announcement, however, industry observers continue to treat Apple’s first foldable iPhone as one of the most closely watched product launches of the year, with the device’s ultimate success likely to hinge, in large part, on whether its crease-reduction claims hold up to real-world scrutiny once reviewers and consumers are finally able to test the hardware for themselves.