Snap settles social media addiction lawsuit to avoid trial

Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel will no longer have to testify in an upcoming trial over social media addiction allegations, after the company reached a settlement with two teenagers. The lawsuit, filed by K.D.B. and S.J., claimed that their use of the app led to self-harm and other mental health issues. Despite jury selection beginning last week and the trial originally scheduled to start this month, the case has been resolved.

The settlement terms were not disclosed. K.D.B.'s lawyer, Emily Jeffcott, expressed pride in achieving justice for the early bellwether clients and emphasized the goal of holding social media companies accountable for their impact on children's mental health. This case is part of a series of high-profile lawsuits against social platforms, including Meta, YouTube, and TikTok, who recently settled a similar lawsuit last year.

The jury in that case ruled against Meta and YouTube, ordering them to pay $6 million in damages. After Meta's settlement, Snap became the only remaining defendant in this case. Spiegel was expected to testify if the trial had proceeded, making this the first time he would appear in court during a social media addiction trial. Both Meta and Snap are still facing numerous other lawsuits over alleged safety issues related to social media.