Two plaintiffs link self-harm to social media as jury selection begins in Meta, Snap trial over addiction claims

Two plaintiffs bring claims

The plaintiffs are S.J., a 16-year-old from Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi. S.J. says Snapchat use beginning in childhood led to compulsive use and contributed to depression, reduced sleep, anxiety, an eating disorder, suicidal ideation and self-harm.

K.D.B. says using Meta’s platforms and Snapchat from a young age contributed to mental health issues and self-harm. The lawsuit originally included TikTok and YouTube, but both companies settled before trial. Meta also settled with S.J.

Companies dispute responsibility

A Snap spokesperson also disputed the allegations and defended the company’s actions. The article does not provide the spokesperson’s specific response.

Trial questions remain

Mark Lanier, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, called this the first case against Snapchat and said the public would have a chance to see some of the company’s documents. Earlier this week, Meta and Snap asked to have the cases split into separate trials.