Jury Selection Starts In Meta, Snap Teen Social Media Addiction Trial
Jury selection began October 28, 2026, in Los Angeles Superior Court in a civil trial accusing Meta and Snap of designing their platforms to be addictive, a case seen as a bellwether for similar lawsuits.[1]
Two plaintiffs identified as S.J. and K.D.B. allege features such as endless scrolling and Snapstreaks fueled compulsive use and harmed teens' mental health.[1] TikTok and YouTube settled before trial, and Meta reached a separate settlement with plaintiff S.J., leaving the remaining claims to go forward against Meta and Snap.[1]
The suits contend engineers and product teams tuned algorithms and features to maximize time on site, using psychological hooks that encouraged repeated, compulsive engagement.[1] Because TikTok and YouTube settled and one Meta settlement resolved one plaintiff's claim, this trial is expected to test the core legal theories for later suits.[1]
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel are expected to testify, with opening statements due in early November and the trial projected to run into mid-December.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- Jury selection began October 28, 2026, in Los Angeles Superior Court for a civil trial against Meta and Snap over alleged addictive design of their platforms.
- The case involves two plaintiffs, S.J. and K.D.B., who allege Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram features like endless scrolling and Snapstreaks fueled compulsive use and mental health harms.
- TikTok and YouTube settled before trial, and Meta separately settled with plaintiff S.J.; the remaining case serves as a bellwether for a broader wave of similar social media addiction lawsuits.
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram head Adam Mosseri and Snap CEO Evan Spiegel are expected to testify, with opening statements scheduled for early November and proceedings projected through mid-December.
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