Meta and Snap Face Teen Addiction Claims in Los Angeles Trial
The case centers on claims by two teenagers that features including endless scrolling, Snapchat’s Snapstreaks, notifications and view counts encouraged compulsive use and harmed mental health. One plaintiff, identified as K.D.B., is an 18-year-old from Mississippi who says her use of Snapchat and Meta’s platforms played a part in depression, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts of suicide. Meta previously settled the claims of the other plaintiff, identified as S.J., a teenager from Illinois.
TikTok and YouTube were also named in the original lawsuit but settled before trial. K.D.B. is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, though the amount has not been specified. Meta and Snap have asked the judge to separate the cases; Judge Carolyn Kuhl has not yet ruled on that request.
Both companies dispute the allegations. Meta says the plaintiff spent considerably more time on TikTok than on Instagram or Facebook and that personal circumstances also played a substantial role in her struggles. Snap says it has built safeguards, safety tools and educational resources into Snapchat, and argues the allegations misrepresent the plaintiff’s experience and the platform’s design.
Opening statements are scheduled for early November, and the plaintiffs’ lawyers say the trial could run until mid-December. Meta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Snap’s chief executive Evan Spiegel and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are slated to take the stand in November.
The case is one of several selected as a bellwether for broader claims against social media companies. In a separate trial earlier this year, a jury awarded a plaintiff $6 million in a case against Meta and YouTube; those companies are appealing. Meta also agreed in August to a settlement with 48 states worth up to $18 billion, including changes to some features used by young people, without admitting wrongdoing.
Teen Social Media Addiction Claims Put Platform Design on Trial
A young user’s allegations are bringing the design of Snapchat and Meta’s platforms before a Los Angeles jury. The Mississippi teenager, now 18, identified as K.D.B., says features such as Snapstreaks, notifications and view counts encouraged compulsive use and were linked to depression, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts of suicide.
The case is part of a wider effort to hold social media companies accountable for products that plaintiffs say were designed to keep young people engaged. TikTok and YouTube settled before trial, and Meta settled the claims of another plaintiff, S.J. K.D.B. is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, with no amount specified.
Meta and Snap deny responsibility. Meta points to the plaintiff’s greater use of TikTok and to personal circumstances; Snap says it has safeguards and safety resources. Those responses underscore the stakes: whether companies can avoid accountability by pointing to other influences while the platforms’ design remains at issue.
Opening statements are expected in early November, with the case potentially continuing until mid-December. Meta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Snap’s chief executive Evan Spiegel and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to take the stand. Meta and Snap have also asked Judge Carolyn Kuhl to split the cases, a request still awaiting a ruling.
A jury awarded $6 million to a plaintiff in a separate case against Meta and YouTube earlier this year, though the companies are appealing. Meta has also agreed to a settlement with 48 states worth up to $18 billion and involving changes to some features used by young people. The new trial adds to pressure for platforms to make youth safety a central design priority, rather than treating it as a matter of individual choice alone.
Trial Tests Claims That Social Media Platforms Harm Teens
A Los Angeles trial will examine whether Meta and Snap should be held responsible for a young user’s mental health struggles, despite the role of other factors and her greater use of TikTok. The Mississippi plaintiff, identified as K.D.B. and now 18, alleges that Snapchat and Meta’s platforms played a part in depression, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts of suicide.
The companies reject the claims. Meta says the plaintiff spent considerably more time on TikTok than on Instagram or Facebook and that her personal circumstances were a substantial factor. Snap says it has built safeguards, safety tools and educational resources into its platform. Those arguments raise a basic concern about the case: claims about harmful outcomes do not, by themselves, establish that a platform caused them.
The original lawsuit also named TikTok and YouTube, which settled before trial. Meta settled the claims of another plaintiff, S.J. K.D.B. seeks compensatory and punitive damages, but has not specified an amount. Meta and Snap have asked Judge Carolyn Kuhl to separate the cases; she has not ruled on the request.
Opening statements are scheduled for early November, and the trial could continue until mid-December. Zuckerberg, Snap’s chief executive Evan Spiegel and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to testify. The companies have also pointed to protections for teens, while Meta has said its agreement with 48 attorneys general includes time limits and restrictions on nighttime access and school-hour notifications.
A separate jury awarded $6 million in a case against Meta and YouTube earlier this year, and the companies are appealing. Meta’s August agreement with 48 states, worth up to $18 billion, included changes to some features for young users, but the company did not admit wrongdoing. This case will test whether broad claims about platform design can be separated from the many factors shaping a young person’s mental health.
Reported by ABC7 New York, CBS News.
