Jury selection is expected to begin Wednesday in Los Angeles for a landmark trial that will see Meta and, for the first time, Snap defend themselves in court against allegations that their apps are designed to be addictive and harmful to young users. The case consolidates claims from two teenage plaintiffs who say they suffered mental health issues, an eating disorder and self-harm after compulsive use of Snapchat and Instagram or Facebook.
The trial, set to open with statements on November 4 unless further settlements are reached, is the latest in a wave of US lawsuits accusing social media companies of deceptive and dangerous design. TikTok and YouTube were originally named as defendants but both settled with the plaintiffs, identified by their initials SJ and KDB, before trial. Meta reached a settlement with SJ but not with KDB, according to lawyers in the case. Snap has not settled.
Court documents say SJ, a teen from Illinois, began using Snapchat compulsively at age 13 and subsequently experienced mental health problems, an eating disorder and self-harm. KDB, now an 18-year-old from Mississippi, similarly developed compulsive use of both Meta and Snap platforms, leading to worsening mental and physical health, her lawyers allege.
Meta has previously denied such claims. “We will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” a company spokesperson said in July. Snap argues its platform is different because Snapchat focuses on private messaging. “We believe the evidence will support that we have put our community first, and that these allegations fundamentally misrepresent the plaintiffs’ experiences on Snapchat and how our platform was designed,” a Snap spokesperson said.
If the trial proceeds, star witnesses expected from mid-November include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.
The case follows a string of legal losses and settlements for social media companies. In March, Meta and YouTube were found collectively liable for harming a young user in the first US trial of its kind, ordered to pay $6 million. Snap and TikTok settled that case before trial. In August, Meta agreed to pay more than $18 billion to settle with 52 US state attorneys general, with conditions including changes to teen features that YouTube and TikTok also had to adopt. Earlier this month, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion for deceiving users about data use in connection with the Cambridge Analytica scandal, on top of a previous $942 million jury verdict for harms to children.
The legal pressure is global. The European Commission has investigated TikTok and Snapchat under the Digital Services Act, and in July found Meta in violation for addictive design features. A collective action in Italy against Meta and TikTok is due for a final hearing on 19 November, and France has seen multiple criminal cases against TikTok over teen harm.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The trial could set a legal precedent for holding social media companies directly liable for algorithmic design choices that affect minors, building on the first US win against Meta and YouTube in March.
- With global regulators moving toward bans and stricter age verification (e.g., Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, the EU’s proposed Kids Act), the outcome may accelerate compliance changes across platforms.
- The testimony of top executives such as Zuckerberg and Spiegel under oath could reveal internal knowledge about addictive features and shape public opinion and policy.
Background
The first US trial against social media companies over teen harm ended in March with a jury finding Meta and YouTube liable and ordering $6 million in damages. Since then, a wave of lawsuits has been consolidated, and major settlements have been reached, including Meta’s $18 billion deal with 52 attorneys general in August. In Europe, regulators have used the Digital Services Act to investigate platforms for addictive design and inadequate child protections, while several EU countries have pursued their own legal actions.
Key Perspectives
Plaintiffs SJ and KDB: Their lawyers argue that the teens were exposed to “addictive and problematic” social media apps starting at ages 13 and 15, leading to compulsive use and severe mental and physical health consequences, according to court documents.
Meta: The company has “respectfully disagree[d]” with the earlier verdict and says it will not back away from defending against what it calls baseless lawsuits.
Snap: The company argues it is different because Snapchat is primarily a messaging platform, and says the allegations misrepresent how the platform was designed.
What to Watch
- Opening statements set for November 4 unless further settlements are reached before then.
- Testimony of Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri and Evan Spiegel, expected from mid-November.
- The final hearing in the Italian collective action against Meta and TikTok on 19 November, which could lead to orders for age verification and removal of “dark pattern” features.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMeta and Snap face a jury trial over alleged teen harm in Los Angeles.Euronews: “Jury selection is expected to begin on Wednesday in Los Angeles for another landmark trial in the US about the alleged harms of social media on young users, with Meta and, for the first time, Snap as defendants.”
- Partly supportedJury selection begins Wednesday.Euronews: “Jury selection is expected to begin on Wednesday in Los Angeles”
- Partly supportedThe two teenage plaintiffs suffered mental health issues, an eating disorder and self-harm after compulsive use of Snapchat and Meta platforms.Euronews: “SJ, a teen in Illinois, began to use Snapchat, the app created by Snap, compulsively and subsequently experienced mental health issues, an eating disorder and self harm, her lawyers claim. KDB, now an 18-year-old from Mississippi, similarly developed compulsive use of both Meta and Snap, leading to worsening mental and physical health, according to her lawyers.”
- SupportedMeta said, “We will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” in July.Euronews: ““We will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits,” Meta told AFP in July.”
- SupportedA Snap spokesperson said, “We believe the evidence will support that we have put our community first, and that these allegations fundamentally misrepresent the plaintiffs’ experiences on Snapchat and how our platform was designed.”Euronews: ““We believe the evidence will support that we have put our community first, and that these allegations fundamentally misrepresent the plaintiffs' experiences on Snapchat and how our platform was designed,” a Snap spokesperson said in a statement.”
- SupportedMeta settled with SJ but not KDB, according to lawyers in the case.Euronews: “Meta reached a settlement agreement with one of the plaintiffs, SJ, but not KDB, according to their lawyers.”
- SupportedThe trial is set to open with statements on November 4 unless further settlements are reached.Euronews: “If no additional settlements are reached before opening statements kick off on November 4, the new trial will move forward with both Meta and Snap as defendants.”
- SupportedIn March, Meta and YouTube were found collectively liable for harming a young user and ordered to pay $6 million.Euronews: “Meta and YouTube lost the first US case in March this year, when a jury found them collectively liable for harming a young user known by the initials KGM, and ordered the tech companies to pay a combined $6 million (€5.4 million) penalty.”
- Partly supportedMeta’s August settlement with 52 US state attorneys general included changes to teen features that YouTube and TikTok also had to adopt.Euronews: “Part of that settlement depended on YouTube and TikTok making similar changes to their own products, such as limiting daily screentime.”
- SupportedEarlier this month, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion in connection with deceiving users about data use and the Cambridge Analytica scandal.Euronews: “Earlier this month, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $25 billion (€22.5 billion) after the company was found liable for deceiving users in the state about how their data was used, in a case linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.”
- SupportedA previous jury verdict against Meta for harms to children was $942 million.Euronews: “A New Mexico jury previously found the social media giant liable for harms to children, leading to a combined penalty of $942 million (€846.7 million).”
- SupportedFrance has seen multiple criminal cases against TikTok over teen harm.Euronews: “The case then expanded from a civil lawsuit to criminal action in May this year and from 7 to 16 families engaging in litigation. Before these cases, the mother of a 15-year-old girl named Marie filed an individual criminal complaint against TikTok in 2023”