Snap Inc. drops charges in Los Angeles

Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, has agreed to drop charges in Los Angeles, two days before a trial related to youth addiction to social media, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs. This follows similar settlements by Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, leading to the cancellation of the second test trial in the United States on the issue.

Settlement terms remain confidential

The agreement includes confidential financial terms. Snap avoided appearing before a jury for the first time. Other test trials are scheduled for early 2027 against these social media giants, who are facing thousands of complaints consolidated before California judges. New cases are expected in early 2027.

Snap’s statement on the resolution

"Aparties are pleased to have resolved this matter amicably," said Snap. A spokesperson told AFP that the company remained determined to strengthen the safety of its users, "because safety is never guaranteed."

Plaintiffs' lawyers express satisfaction

"We are proud to have obtained justice for our clients in the test trials so far, including K.D.B. and S.J.," said John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott, lawyers for K.D.B., an 18-year-old. According to them, these agreements allow them to continue to hold social media platforms accountable.

Accusations against the platform

The two young plaintiffs accused the application of being designed to make them dependent, at the cost of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. During the first test trial, in March in Los Angeles, a jury found Meta (Instagram) and YouTube (Google) negligent and awarded six million dollars to a young woman, a first.

Meta’s appeal and new restrictions

Snap and TikTok had settled before the hearing. Since then, Meta, which has appealed, has not allowed a jury to rule on these cases. In August, the company reached an agreement with nearly all U.S. states for more than 18 billion dollars, accompanied by new restrictions for teenagers on Instagram and Facebook.

Avoiding internal documents and testimony

TikTok and Snap have always settled before the start of the proceedings in these cases, avoiding exposing their internal documents and executives, such as Snap's CEO, Evan Spiegel, who was scheduled to testify in Los Angeles. The next test trial, brought by school districts, is scheduled for February 2027 before federal courts in Oakland, near San Francisco.

Future trials expected in 2027

In Los Angeles, the next ones are expected to open in March 2027, according to the plaintiffs' lawyers.