Jury selection begins in Meta, Snap social media addiction case
The plaintiffs allege that features on the companies' social media platforms, like endless scrolling, kept them hooked and harmed their mental health.
Jury selection commenced in Los Angeles for a trial brought by two plaintiffs against Meta and Snap, alleging the social media platforms were designed to be addictive. The plaintiffs, S.J. and K.D.B., claim the endless scrolling, Snapstreaks, and other features on these platforms led to compulsive use and negatively impacted their mental health, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, argues that Meta and Snap's platforms disproportionately appealed to and harmed minors and young adults, who were particularly vulnerable to the risks. TikTok and YouTube were part of the original lawsuit but settled beforehand. Meta and Snap dispute the allegations, claiming other factors were responsible for the plaintiffs' mental health issues.
The trial, set to last until mid-December, will feature testimony from Instagram head Adam Mosseri, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. Plaintiffs are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, marking the first trial against Snapchat and the first public appearance of trial documents.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
