Meta, Snap head back to Los Angeles court for social media addiction trial

An 18-year-old woman from Mississippi, K.D.B, recounted "staying awake for hours scrolling social media, losing focus in class and engaging in self-harm using methods shown in social media videos."

This personal testimony is central to the ongoing legal battles involving major social media corporations.

Meta and Snap, the company behind Snapchat, are returning to Los Angeles court this week for the latest trial. The suit alleges that their platforms were intentionally engineered to foster addiction among younger users.

In a related development, Meta recently reached a settlement in a different social media addiction lawsuit, thereby avoiding a trial scheduled for the following month.

Currently, Snap stands as the sole defendant in this specific case. Jury selection commenced in Los Angeles Superior Court earlier this week.

K.D.B's lawyer, Emily Jeffcott, announced on Friday that a settlement had been reached with Meta, following prior resolutions with TikTok and YouTube. Jeffcott stated, "We remain committed to improving safety for kids on social media apps and holding tech companies accountable, and we are pleased to have brought this matter to a just resolution on behalf of our client."

Snap's CEO, Evan Spiegel, is anticipated to testify during the trial, which could span several weeks. Should he appear, it marks the first time the Snap founder has participated in a social media addiction trial.

A Snap spokesperson commented on the matter, asserting that the lawsuit "fundamentally misrepresent(s)" how Snapchat functions. The spokesperson added, "From the beginning, Snapchat was built differently from traditional social media: it opens to a camera, not a feed, not a ranking of what other people post or other social comparison metrics."

These companies have faced numerous legal actions concerning lapses in safety and issues of social media dependency.