Snap settles trial with two teens over addiction claims

Snap Inc. reached a settlement during a trial in Los Angeles, avoiding a verdict on claims that its social media platform was designed to be addictive. The agreement concluded the second of two major court cases in California involving teenagers who sued tech giants over compulsive usage. The plaintiffs, represented by attorneys John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott, stated the settlement allows them to continue holding companies accountable for impacts on children.

The trial was originally scheduled to feature testimony from Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. It had been designated as a bellwether case, meaning its outcome was intended to guide the resolution of thousands of similar pending lawsuits. The other three major defendants in this wave of litigation, including Meta Platforms, TikTok, and Alphabet's YouTube, had already reached separate settlements with these specific plaintiffs.

The two plaintiffs are S.J., a 16-year-old resident of Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi. Both alleged they began using YouTube as young as age three and adopted the other platforms around age nine. They claimed specific design features, such as autoplay and infinite scroll, contributed to compulsive habits. The teens reported developing depression, anxiety, and eating disorders as a result of their usage.

A Snap spokesperson said in a statement that the company has implemented safeguards and safety tutorials. The company also noted it partners with experts to continually strengthen the safety, privacy, and well-being of its community. The company maintains that it has taken action to make its apps safe spaces for young users to express themselves.

This settlement is part of a larger legal trend involving social media and youth mental health. Court records show that approximately 30 states have filed lawsuits against the industry. These cases are brought by individuals, school districts, municipalities, and other government entities. The central allegation in these suits is that the companies knowingly sought to addict children, contributing to a crisis involving anxiety, depression, and suicide.

In the first case to go to trial in this series, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in March. That jury awarded a young woman six million U.S. dollars in damages. Following that verdict, the next two teens selected for trial either settled their claims or dropped them. Additionally, the first school district chosen for a trial reached settlements with all the defendant companies.

Meta faced a separate financial penalty in March when a jury found it misled consumers about platform safety. The company was ordered to pay 375 million U.S. dollars in a case brought by New Mexico. In August, Meta struck settlements with nearly every state and U.S. territory worth up to 18 billion U.S. dollars. These deals resolved lawsuits brought by attorneys general over claims that its platforms harmed teens.

The Meta settlement included a condition that five billion U.S. dollars of the payout was contingent on states reaching similar agreements with Snap, TikTok, and YouTube. As part of the deal, Meta agreed to restrict teenagers' use of Facebook and Instagram to two hours a day for the next decade. The company also agreed to make other changes to how its platforms function for young users.

These legal battles occur alongside new legislative efforts to limit teen access to social media. Australia has an active ban in place, and a proposed bill exists in Canada. Legal experts have raised concerns that such legislation may violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The next bellwether trials regarding social media's impact on teens are scheduled to begin in March.