Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. has reached a settlement with two teenagers who alleged that the platform encouraged compulsive use and contributed to their mental health struggles, according to a statement from the plaintiffs’ attorneys.
The agreement follows earlier settlements with Meta, TikTok and Google’s YouTube, resolving claims against the last remaining defendant in the two teens’ cases. Jury selection had already begun in Los Angeles state court.
The development adds to a growing series of legal challenges focused on how social media platforms are designed, and whether features intended to keep users engaged put young people at risk.
What the teenagers alleged
The plaintiffs, identified as S.J., a 16-year-old from Illinois, and K.D.B., an 18-year-old from Mississippi, alleged that their use of social media began in childhood and developed into compulsive habits. Their claims described depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health injuries they attributed to their experiences across the platforms.
The allegations against Snapchat focused on features including Snapstreaks, Snapscores, push notifications, and filters. The plaintiffs argued that these features encouraged young users to return repeatedly and spend more time on the app.
Across the broader litigation, plaintiffs have also challenged features such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, arguing that platform design can encourage prolonged use. The companies dispute claims that they designed their products to addict children.
From Meta settlements to a Snap agreement
Before Snap’s agreement, Meta had separately settled with both teenagers. TikTok and YouTube had also reached settlements, leaving Snap as the only company still facing their claims at trial.
Meta’s settlement with K.D.B. followed the start of jury selection in late October. Its agreement with S.J. had come earlier.
The subsequent Snap settlement means the cases will not produce a jury verdict against the company. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel had been expected to testify.
Attorneys John Morgan and Emily Jeffcott, representing K.D.B., described the settlements as part of their broader effort to hold social media companies accountable for alleged harm to children. The supplied announcement did not disclose the financial terms of Snap’s agreement.
How Snapchat has responded
Snap has disputed the plaintiffs’ characterization of its platform. In an earlier statement, the company emphasized that Snapchat opens to a camera rather than a traditional social media feed.
The company also pointed to its safeguards, safety tools, and educational resources, saying the allegations misrepresented both the plaintiffs’ experiences and the platform’s design.
Meta has previously said that young people’s mental health is shaped by multiple factors. Other companies involved in the litigation have likewise defended their safety efforts and rejected allegations that they intentionally encouraged addiction among young users.
A wider legal challenge for social media companies
These cases are part of thousands of lawsuits brought by individuals, school districts, and government entities over alleged harm to children from social media use. The litigation places particular scrutiny on product design and the companies’ knowledge of potential risks.
In a separate case in March 2026, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google negligent in the design or operation of Instagram and YouTube. It awarded a young woman $6 million in compensatory and punitive damages. That verdict concerned a different plaintiff and did not decide the allegations against Snapchat.
For the two teenagers involved in the latest settlements, the agreements resolve their claims against the platforms. The broader debate continues: How should social media companies design products used by children, and what responsibility should they bear when those products allegedly contribute to harm?
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Source: “Meta settles with second teen in social media addiction lawsuit; case against Snapchat moves forward,” ABC News, 10/30/26
Source: “Snap settles with two teens during trial testing claims social media caused depression, eating disorders,” Yahoo! Finance via Reuters, 11/2/26
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