Los Angeles Jury Panel Assembles for Meta and Snap Youth Addiction Trial

Jury selection commenced on Wednesday in Los Angeles for a high-profile trial against Meta and Snap, two of the largest social media companies in the United States. The proceedings mark a critical step in a series of legal disputes concerning the impact of digital platforms on young users.

The lawsuit was filed in 2023 by two plaintiffs who argue that specific design elements made the applications excessively addictive. These features, including endless scrolling mechanics and Snapchat streaks, allegedly trapped the users in cycles of compulsive usage. The legal team contends that this design prioritized engagement over user well-being.

One plaintiff is a 16-year-old from Illinois identified in court records as S.J. She began using Snapchat during her early childhood and claims the app’s structure drove her toward compulsive behavior. Her complaint links this usage to depression, anxiety, reduced sleep, an eating disorder, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm.

The second plaintiff is an 18-year-old from Mississippi identified as K.D.B. She states that her use of Meta’s platforms and Snapchat from a young age contributed to her own mental health struggles and incidents of self-harm. Both women are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, though the specific amounts remain unspecified.

The lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the companies designed the products to appeal specifically to minors and young adults. They describe this group as being particularly susceptible to the risks posed by the platforms. The complaint states that the defendants defectively designed the systems to addict users who were unable to fully appreciate the potential harms.

TikTok and Alphabet’s YouTube were originally named in the suit but settled before the trial began. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has also reached a settlement with S.J. The company continues to contest the allegations brought by K.D.B. A Meta spokesperson noted that a young person’s mental health is influenced by many factors. The spokesperson added that the plaintiff used TikTok more frequently than Meta’s products and that her personal circumstances played a substantial role in her difficulties.

Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, also disputes the claims. A company spokesperson stated that Snap has integrated safeguards, safety tools, and educational resources into its platform. The spokesperson believes the evidence will demonstrate that the company prioritized its community and that the allegations misrepresent both the plaintiffs’ experiences and the platform’s actual design.

Both corporate defense teams are expected to argue that factors other than their products caused the plaintiffs’ difficulties. The trial will feature testimony from key executives, including Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, Evan Spiegel, Snap’s CEO, and Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram. Judge Carolyn Kuhl is presiding over the case. The plaintiffs' lawyers indicate the trial will likely continue until mid-December, with opening statements scheduled for early November.

Earlier this week, Meta and Snap requested that the court split the matter into two separate trials. As of Wednesday, Judge Kuhl had not ruled on that request. This case is one of several bellwether matters chosen from a large group of similar claims filed in recent years. A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly half of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 report being online almost constantly. In a separate case earlier this year, a jury ordered companies to pay $6 million for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior among young users.