Meta and Snap Face Addictive Design Claims in Los Angeles Jury Trial

Two teenagers are taking the stage in Los Angeles on Wednesday to argue that social media giants intentionally built their apps to hook young users. The trial against Meta and Snap has begun, with jury selection underway in a case that has drawn national attention. Plaintiffs claim the platforms were engineered to be addictive, a design choice that allegedly damaged their mental health.

The lawsuit was filed in 2023 against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and Alphabet. TikTok and YouTube settled before the trial started. Meta also reached a settlement with one of the plaintiffs, leaving the company to fight the claims made by the second teen. This case is part of a growing wave of legal challenges concerning how social media affects children and adolescents.

One plaintiff is a 16-year-old from Illinois identified as S.J. She began using Snapchat as a young child. Her legal team says the app’s features, including endless scrolling, led to compulsive use. This behavior, they argue, contributed to depression, anxiety, reduced sleep, an eating disorder, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm.

The other plaintiff is an 18-year-old from Mississippi identified as K.D.B. She says her long-term use of Meta’s platforms and Snapchat also led to mental health issues and self-harm. Both plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, though specific amounts have not been disclosed.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers, led by Mark Lanier of The Lanier Law Firm, accused the defendants of defective design. They argued the platforms were made to appeal to minors who could not fully understand the risks. The lawyers stated these young users were particularly susceptible to the harms caused by the products.

Meta disputes the claims against K.D.B. A spokesperson for the company noted that a young person’s mental health is influenced by many factors. The spokesperson said K.D.B. used TikTok more than Instagram or Facebook and that her personal circumstances played a substantial role in her struggles. Meta continues to contest the allegations in this specific case.

Snap also rejects the claims. A Snap spokesperson said the company has built safeguards, safety tools, and educational resources into the platform. The company believes the evidence will show it prioritized its community and that the allegations misrepresent the platform’s design. Both companies are expected to argue that factors other than their products caused the plaintiffs’ difficulties.

Key executives are set to testify, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Judge Carolyn Kuhl is presiding over the case. Opening statements are scheduled for early November. The trial is expected to last until mid-December.

Earlier this week, Meta and Snap asked the court to split the matter into two separate trials. A person familiar with the matter said Judge Kuhl has not yet ruled on that request. This case was selected as one of several bellwether trials among many similar claims filed against social media companies. A separate jury in a landmark case earlier this year ordered companies to pay $6 million for creating addictive products.

A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly half of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 said they are online almost constantly. This trial offers the public a rare look into internal documents from Snap. It is the first case against the company to reach a jury. The outcome will be watched closely by other plaintiffs and tech companies alike.