Meta and Snap face trial over alleged harm to young users from platform features

Jury selection begins in Los Angeles as two teenagers claim autoplay and infinite scrolling led to excessive use and mental health issues

Meta and Snap are set to face a high-profile trial in Los Angeles beginning 28 October, as jury selection starts in a case where two teenagers allege that features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling on the companies’ platforms encouraged compulsive use and contributed to serious mental health problems. The trial, overseen by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl, is expected to last several weeks and could influence thousands of similar lawsuits targeting technology companies over alleged harm to young users.

The plaintiffs, identified in court documents as S.J., a 16-year-old from Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi, claim that their experiences with Meta’s and Snap’s platforms led to depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. They specifically point to design elements like autoplay and infinite scrolling as driving excessive use. According to the court filings, the teenagers described staying awake for hours scrolling through social media, struggling to concentrate in class, and engaging in self-harm. They are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri, and Snap chief executive Evan Spiegel are expected to testify during the proceedings. Both plaintiffs originally filed lawsuits in 2023 against Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube. TikTok and YouTube settled with both plaintiffs prior to the trial, while Meta also settled with S.J. The current trial addresses both teenagers’ claims against Snap and K.D.B.’s claims against Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook.

Meta and Snap have requested that Judge Kuhl separate the cases, arguing that a joint trial could confuse jurors by mixing evidence about two plaintiffs with different circumstances. As of the start of the trial, Reuters reported that the judge had not yet ruled on this request. The outcome of this case is being closely watched, as it is only the second trial involving individual plaintiffs who allege that social media companies deliberately designed addictive products.

Meta disputes the allegations and states that it has spent more than a decade building protections for teenagers. The company maintains that it is committed to user safety, but the trial will examine whether the design of its platforms played a role in the plaintiffs’ reported mental health struggles. The proceedings are expected to set important legal precedents for future litigation involving technology companies and the impact of their products on young users.

Source: https://www.ibtimes.com/meta-snap-face-another-high-stakes-trial-over-alleged-harm-young-users-3809090