Snap Reaches Settlement In Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Ahead Of Trial
Snap Inc, the parent company of Snapchat, has reached a settlement in a high-profile lawsuit over alleged social media addiction, just days before the case was due to go to trial in Los Angeles.
The agreement was disclosed during a California Superior Court hearing, though the specific terms were not made public. In a statement, Snap said all parties involved were “pleased to have been able to resolve this matter in an amicable manner.”
The lawsuit was filed by a 19-year-old woman identified only as K.G.M., who accused major social media platforms of designing addictive features that harmed her mental health. Other defendants named in the case include Meta, which owns Instagram, TikTok parent company ByteDance, and Alphabet, the owner of YouTube. None of these companies have reached a settlement.
With no agreements in place for the remaining defendants, the trial is expected to proceed against Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on January 27. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify, while Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was also set to appear before the settlement was reached.
Neither Meta, ByteDance nor Alphabet responded to media requests for comment following the announcement.
Despite the settlement, Snap remains a defendant in other similar cases that have been grouped together in the same court. The lawsuits are being closely monitored, as they could test a long-standing legal protection used by tech companies.
For years, social media firms have relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields platforms from liability over user-generated content. However, plaintiffs argue that the issue goes beyond user posts, claiming the platforms intentionally design algorithms and notification systems to keep users hooked.
The companies have denied responsibility, insisting there is insufficient evidence linking their products directly to conditions such as depression or eating disorders.
The outcome of the ongoing cases could have far-reaching implications for how social media platforms operate and are regulated in the future.
