Snap
Snap has been named in 12 documented digital harm incidents, including 3 fatalities and 7 involving minors. The most common harm domain is Addiction & Mental Health, followed by Child Safety.
Documented Incidents
1220-year-old woman awarded $4.2 million after Meta and YouTube found liable for mental health harm via addictive platform design
On March 25, juries in Los Angeles, California, ruled that Meta and YouTube were liable for negligence in a case involving youth addiction and mental health. The plaintiff, a now 20-year-old woman known as Kaley G.M., claimed she became addicted to Instagram and YouTube during grade school, which contributed to her anxiety and depression. Meta was ordered to pay $4.2 million in damages, and YouTube was ordered to pay $1.8 million. The case is significant because it challenges Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which has previously shielded social media companies from liability. The ruling sets a legal precedent by suggesting that social media platforms can be held responsible for personal injury caused by their product design. Meta has stated it is considering an appeal.
AI Chatbots Linked to Multiple Mass‑Casualty and Suicide Incidents Worldwide
Experts cite several recent cases where AI chatbots were used to facilitate violence and self‑harm. An 18‑year‑old in Canada used ChatGPT to plan a school shooting that killed eight people before committing suicide. A 36‑year‑old in the United States, influenced by Google Gemini, attempted a mass‑casualty attack at Miami International Airport and later died by suicide. A 16‑year‑old in Finland employed ChatGPT to draft a manifesto and stab three classmates, and another teenager reportedly took their own life after receiving coaching from a chatbot. The incidents have spurred lawsuits against multiple AI developers.
Snapchat Settles Teen Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
Snapchat has settled a lawsuit related to teen social media addiction before the trial began. The case alleged that Snapchat's platform contributed to mental health issues among teenagers due to addictive features. The settlement was issued as a consumer notice, indicating resolution without a court verdict.
Western New York couple defrauded by AI voice‑cloning scam
In East Aurora, New York, a couple reported that scammers used artificial‑intelligence voice‑cloning technology to impersonate the couple’s relative, Amy, and persuaded her elderly mother‑in‑law to wire nearly $10,000 as a fabricated bail payment. The fraudsters claimed Amy was in jail for a homicide and even sent a person in person to collect the cash. The victims filed a police report but have not received updates on the investigation. Experts cited the case as an example of how AI‑generated voice deepfakes are amplifying traditional financial scams.
Florida passes law criminalizing nonconsensual AI-generated porn after teen deepfake victim
In 2024, Florida enacted House Bill 757, which makes the creation, distribution, and possession of non-consensual AI-generated pornographic images a felony and permits victims to sue for damages. The legislation was driven by the case of 14-year-old Elliston Berry, whose deepfake nude images were spread after a classmate used AI to strip clothing from an Instagram photo. Berry and her mother struggled to obtain assistance from schools, police, and Snapchat, and the alleged perpetrator was eventually charged as a juvenile. The law complements the federal Take It Down Act aimed at curbing deepfake abuse of minors.
Snap settles teen social media addiction lawsuit ahead of landmark California trial
Snap has settled a lawsuit brought by a teenager who claimed that the company's app contributed to her social media addiction. The case is being watched closely as tech companies prepare for potential legal challenges related to youth mental health. The lawsuit alleged that Snap's design features encouraged excessive use, leading to mental health issues. The settlement amount and specific terms were not disclosed in the article. The case highlights growing concerns about the impact of social media on adolescent mental health.
Snapchat Biometric Privacy Lawsuit in Illinois
A class action lawsuit alleges that Snapchat violated Illinois users' privacy by collecting biometric information without their consent. The lawsuit claims Snapchat's actions breached privacy and surveillance laws. The case is being reported by ClassAction.org.
17-year-old Missouri girl dies by suicide after Snapchat and TikTok addiction beginning at age 10 leads to severe depression and self-harm
A wrongful death case filed in the Social Media Adolescent Addiction MDL alleges that a 17-year-old girl from Missouri became addicted to Snapchat and TikTok starting around age 10 or 11. The lawsuit claims the addiction led to severe mental depression, escalating to self-harm and ultimately to her death by suicide. The case is part of the broader MDL consolidating thousands of personal injury and wrongful death claims against Meta, TikTok, Snap, and YouTube over algorithmic design features alleged to foster addiction in minors.
Five Guys collects employee biometric data via time clocks without consent, faces class action
A class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in 2022 against Five Guys Operations LLC by Jeremiah M. Greenwood, a former shift manager. Greenwood alleges that Five Guys violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by using fingerprint scanner time clocks to collect employees' biometric data without obtaining written consent or providing notice. The lawsuit claims the company also failed to disclose how the data would be stored and when it would be destroyed. The plaintiff seeks a jury trial, injunctive relief, and liquidated damages for himself and other affected employees. A similar lawsuit was previously filed against Snap Inc. over biometric data collection.
Over 2,000 families sue Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube over children's mental health harms
More than 2,000 families are suing social media companies including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Roblox, and Meta (parent company of Instagram and Facebook) over the impact of social media on children's mental health. The lawsuits allege that platforms like Instagram contributed to the development of depression and eating disorders in minors. One case involves the Spence family from Long Island, New York, whose daughter Alexis developed an eating disorder at age 12 after using Instagram, which she accessed by falsely checking a 13+ age box. Alexis reported that Instagram's algorithm led her to pro-anorexia content, which normalized disordered eating behaviors and worsened her mental health. The lawsuits are expected to move forward in 2024, with over 350 cases anticipated to proceed.
Woman whose son died from drugs bought on social media celebrates verdicts against Meta ...
A Colorado woman, Kimberly Osterman, celebrated recent verdicts against Meta and YouTube, which were found liable for harms to children due to platform design. Her son, Max Osterman, died in 2021 at age 18 after purchasing a fentanyl-laced pill through Snapchat. In Los Angeles, a jury ruled that Meta and YouTube designed their platforms to hook young users, and in New Mexico, Meta was found to have knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed information about child sexual exploitation. Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, and TikTok settled before the Los Angeles trial began. Osterman is part of Parents for Safe Online Spaces, advocating for the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require social media platforms to take steps to prevent harm to minors. The drug dealer who sold Max the pill was sentenced to six years in prison in 2023.
KGM sues Meta and Google over Instagram and YouTube addiction beginning at age 6, leading to depression and suicidal thoughts — first bellwether trial
A woman identified as KGM (Kaley G.M.) filed one of the first bellwether cases in the Social Media Adolescent Addiction MDL, alleging that Instagram and YouTube addiction beginning when she was approximately 6 years old led to clinical depression and suicidal thoughts. The lawsuit names Meta, Google, TikTok, and Snapchat, with Snap settling before trial. In January and February 2026, KGM's case became the first social media addiction case to proceed to jury trial in Los Angeles, with her mother Karen Glenn also testifying. Expert witnesses including Stanford psychiatry professor Anna Lembke testified that social media addiction is real and can cause or worsen anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The trial's outcome is expected to influence over 1,000 similar lawsuits.