World · North America · 2 hrs ago
Meta and Snap face trial over alleged social media harms to young users
Jury selection has begun in Los Angeles for a trial against Meta and Snap over claims that their social media platforms harmed young users.
Two plaintiffs, identified as S.J. and K.D.B., say features such as endless scrolling and Snapstreaks encouraged compulsive use from a young age.
They allege that their use contributed to mental health problems, including depression, anxiety and self-harm.
Meta and Snap dispute the claims and say other factors may explain the plaintiffs’ difficulties.
TikTok and YouTube settled before the trial, and Meta settled with S.J., leaving K.D.B.’s claims against Meta and claims against Snap to proceed.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages, and the trial could run until mid-December.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel are expected to testify, with opening statements scheduled for early November.
Jury selection began on October 28 in Los Angeles for a trial over claims that Meta and Snap designed platforms that harmed young users.
Two plaintiffs, identified as S.J. and K.D.B., say social media use contributed to mental health problems and self-harm.
Meta and Snap deny the allegations and say other factors may explain the plaintiffs’ experiences.
TikTok and YouTube settled with the plaintiffs before trial, and Meta settled with S.J.
The trial could include testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.
- Who
- Meta and Snap are defendants; the plaintiffs are identified as S.J. and K.D.B.
- What
- The trial concerns claims that social media platforms were designed to be addictive and harmed young users’ mental health.
- When
- Jury selection began on October 28, 2026. Opening statements are scheduled for early November.
- Where
- Los Angeles.
- Why
- The plaintiffs allege that features on the platforms encouraged compulsive use and contributed to mental health problems and self-harm.
Plaintiffs
Meta and Snap
Platform design
Plaintiffs
The plaintiffs say the platforms were designed to appeal to and addict minors and young adults.
Meta and Snap
Meta and Snap dispute the claims and say the allegations misrepresent the plaintiffs’ experiences and how the platforms were designed.
Causes of harm
Plaintiffs
The plaintiffs say their use of the platforms contributed to mental health problems and self-harm.
Meta and Snap
Meta says other factors, including the plaintiff’s personal circumstances and use of TikTok, contributed to her struggles; the companies are expected to argue that factors beyond their platforms were responsible.
The plaintiffs sued, alleging that social media platforms’ features kept them hooked and harmed their mental health.
A jury found Meta and YouTube liable for harming a young user known as KGM and ordered them to pay a combined US$6 million.
Jury selection began in Los Angeles for the trial against Meta and Snap.
Opening statements are scheduled to begin, according to the Straits Times.
Zuckerberg, Mosseri and Spiegel are expected to testify, according to the Straits Times.
- Trial location
- Los Angeles
- Plaintiffs
- S.J., 16, from Illinois; K.D.B., 18, from Mississippi
- Jury selection
- Began October 28, 2026
- Settled defendants
- TikTok and YouTube settled with both plaintiffs; Meta settled with S.J.
- Damages sought
- Unspecified compensatory and punitive damages
- Expected witnesses
- Mark Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri and Evan Spiegel
3 sources
What people are saying
A young person's mental health is shaped by many factors, as the evidence in this trial will show.
We have built safeguards into the platform, introduced safety tools and educational resources, and 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
Defendants defectively designed the platforms to specifically appeal to and addict minors and young adults, who were particularly unable to appreciate the risks posed by the platforms, and particularly susceptible to harms from those products