Social media company Snap has settled a lawsuit alleging social media addiction and mental health issues caused by its platform, multiple outlets reported. The settlement, announced Tuesday in the California Superior Court in Los Angeles County, preceded a scheduled trial.
The lawsuit was filed by a 19-year-old, identified as K.G.M. in court documents. The suit accused the social media app of designing algorithms and features that contributed to addiction and impaired mental health. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
Meta, YouTube, and TikTok are also named in the lawsuit, though no settlement has been reached with these platforms. Snap remains a defendant in other similar social media addiction cases.
Documents from ongoing cases reveal that Snap employees previously raised concerns about mental health risks to teenagers, dating back at least nine years. Snap stated these examples were “cherry-picked” and taken out of context.
Plaintiffs in these cases draw comparisons to litigation against tobacco companies in the 1990s, alleging platforms concealed potential harms from users. They argue that features such as infinite scroll, auto video play, and algorithmic recommendations compel continuous app engagement, leading to depression, eating disorders, and self-harm, according to The New York Times.
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was scheduled to testify, marking a potential first instance of a social media company facing a jury in an addiction lawsuit. No platform has lost such a case at trial to date. The remaining case against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube is scheduled to proceed with jury selection beginning next Monday, January 27. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify.
Legal experts predict that if plaintiffs prevail, these cases could result in multimillion-dollar settlements and mandate product redesigns. However, the companies assert that design choices, including algorithmic recommendations, push notifications, and infinite scroll, resemble newspaper editorial decisions and are protected under the First Amendment.
