Snap has settled a lawsuit on social media addiction
What's the story
Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has settled a lawsuit over social media addiction just days before it was scheduled to go to trial in Los Angeles. The decision was announced during a California Superior Court hearing. However, the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Other defendants in this case include Meta (Instagram's parent company), TikTok (owned by ByteDance), and YouTube (owned by Alphabet).
Case details
Plaintiff alleges addiction and mental health issues
The lawsuit was filed by a 19-year-old woman, K.G.M., who claimed that the algorithmic design of these platforms contributed to her addiction and adversely affected her mental health. Despite Snap's settlement, the trial will continue against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube as they have not yet reached a settlement. Jury selection for this trial is set to begin on January 27.
Testimony
Meta CEO to testify in ongoing trial
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in the ongoing trial against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. Until Tuesday's settlement, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was also scheduled to take the stand. The social media companies have maintained that they are not responsible for alleged harms such as depression and eating disorders caused by their platforms.
Previous concerns
Snap's history of mental health concerns
Documents from ongoing cases have revealed that Snap employees had raised concerns about potential risks to the mental health of teens at least nine years ago. However, the company has dismissed these examples as "cherry-picked" and taken out of context. Plaintiffs in these cases are drawing parallels to Big Tobacco lawsuits in the 1990s, alleging that social media platforms have hidden information about possible harms from their users.
Potential impact
Future implications of social media addiction cases
If plaintiffs win, legal experts believe these cases could lead to multibillion-dollar settlements and even force platforms to redesign their products. The companies have defended themselves by arguing that design choices such as algorithmic recommendations, push notifications, and infinite scroll are protected speech under the First Amendment in the US. Snap is still a defendant in other consolidated social media addiction cases in court.