Snap has reached a settlement with two teenagers who accused the company of designing Snapchat to encourage compulsive use and contribute to depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. The agreement, reported on November 2, 2026, ends a Los Angeles trial involving the two plaintiffs, who had previously settled similar claims against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube.
According to Reuters, attorneys representing the teenagers confirmed the settlement on Monday after jury selection began the previous week. The financial terms were not disclosed, and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, who had been expected to testify, will no longer appear in the case.
Teenagers Allege Addictive Platform Features Caused Harm
The lawsuit involved two plaintiffs, identified as S.J., a 16-year-old from Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi. Both alleged that social media companies deliberately designed their platforms to encourage excessive use, contributing to mental health problems during their childhood and teenage years.
The teenagers said they began using YouTube as young as age three and other social media platforms at approximately age nine. They attributed their compulsive usage habits to features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, which they claimed encouraged prolonged engagement.
Snap and the other defendants have rejected allegations that their platforms were intentionally designed to cause addiction. The companies maintain that they have introduced safety measures intended to protect younger users.
A Snap spokesperson said the parties had resolved the matter amicably and emphasized the company’s ongoing investment in user protection. The company cited existing safeguards, safety tutorials, and partnerships with experts as part of its efforts to improve privacy and user well-being.
Settlement Follows Other Social Media Lawsuits
The case was among thousands of lawsuits filed against major social media companies in federal and state courts across the United States. Plaintiffs include individuals, school districts, municipalities, and government entities alleging that platform design contributed to mental health problems among young users.
Snap had previously settled its other cases scheduled for trial, making this proceeding its first expected courtroom test in the wider litigation. The settlement follows a separate Los Angeles trial that concluded in March 2026, when a jury found Meta and YouTube negligent and awarded a young woman $6 million in damages.
In August 2026, Meta also reached settlements worth up to $18 billion with nearly every U.S. state and territory over allegations that its platforms harmed teenagers. The agreements included commitments to modify features on Instagram and Facebook, with $5 billion of the settlement value tied to similar agreements involving Snap, TikTok, and YouTube.
Attorneys representing the plaintiffs said the settlements would allow them to continue pursuing accountability claims against social media companies. Additional trials involving similar allegations are scheduled to begin in March 2027.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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