Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has settled a high-profile social media addiction lawsuit just days before the case was set to go to trial. The agreement means Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will not have to testify. His appearance would have marked the first time the Snapchat co-founder testified in court during a social media addiction trial.
The lawsuit was brought by two teenagers who alleged Snapchat was designed to be addictive and that using the platform at a young age contributed to self-harm and other mental health problems.
The plaintiffs, identified in court documents as S.J. and K.D.B., claimed the app’s features encouraged compulsive use and negatively affected their mental health. Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, according to CBS News.
Jury selection began last week, with the trial scheduled to begin this month. The teens had previously settled claims against Meta, Alphabet (the parent company of YouTube), and TikTok. After Meta reached a settlement last week, Snap was the only remaining defendant.
“We are glad to reach resolution for our clients,” Mark Lanier, founder of The Lanier Law Firm and lead attorney for the plaintiffs, told CBS News. “We believe this jury would have found the companies’ conduct reprehensible.”
In a statement to CBS News, Snap said the parties were pleased to resolve the matter amicably.
Snap and Meta continue to face numerous other lawsuits involving allegations of social media addiction and failures to protect young users.
Earlier this year, a jury in a landmark social media addiction case found Meta and YouTube liable and awarded $6 million to the lead plaintiff.
