Jury Selection Starts in LA Trial Against Meta and Snap

Jury selection began on Wednesday in Los Angeles for a civil trial against Meta and Snap.

The case centers on whether specific design elements of the companies' platforms contributed to the mental health struggles of two young users.

The plaintiffs filed their lawsuit in 2023. They point to features like endless scrolling and Snapstreaks as the primary drivers of their compulsive use.

One plaintiff is a 16-year-old from Illinois identified in court records as S.J. This user started on Snapchat as a child and claims the app led to depression, anxiety, and an eating disorder.

The second plaintiff is an 18-year-old from Mississippi identified as K.D.B. She alleges that early use of Meta's platforms and Snapchat contributed to her own mental health issues and self-harm.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argue the companies defectively designed these products to target minors who could not fully assess the risks. They state that young adults were particularly susceptible to the harms posed by the platforms.

TikTok and YouTube settled with the plaintiffs before the trial began. Meta also settled with S.J. but continues to fight the claims made by K.D.B.

A Meta spokesperson noted that a young person's mental health involves many factors. The company stated that K.D.B. used TikTok more than Instagram or Facebook and that her personal circumstances played a substantial role in her struggles.

Snap disputes the allegations. A company spokesperson said Snap has built safeguards and educational resources into the platform. The company argues the evidence will show it prioritized its community and that the claims misrepresent the platform's design.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, though they have not specified the amounts. Mark Lanier, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, said this is the first time the public will see some of Snap's internal documents in a lawsuit.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, are expected to testify. Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap, will also take the stand.

Judge Carolyn Kuhl is presiding over the case. Opening statements are scheduled for early November. The trial is expected to last until mid-December if the court does not split the matter into two separate proceedings, a request Meta and Snap filed earlier this week.