Jury selection begins in Los Angeles for social media addiction trial involving Meta and Snap

The trial could set legal precedents and financial liabilities for major technology companies facing widespread claims over teen mental health, following a recent $18 billion settlement offer by Meta with 48 states and prior multimillion-dollar verdicts.

• •Jury selection begins Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court for a trial involving Meta and Snap.
• •The lawsuit centers on claims from an 18-year-old plaintiff from Mississippi ("K.D.B.") that features like Snapchat's "Snapstreaks" and push notifications harmed her mental health.
• •Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, and Instagram head Adam Mosseri are expected to testify in November.
• •In a previous landmark trial in the same courtroom against Meta and YouTube, a jury sided with plaintiff "K.G.M." and awarded $6 million in damages, a decision currently being appealed.
• •Snap and TikTok settled prior to the previous trial.
• •Meta recently reached an historic settlement with 48 states in August, agreeing to pay up to $18 billion and implement changes such as time limits and hidden like counts for young users, without admitting wrongdoing.
• •Snap representatives defended their platform, stating Snapchat opens to a camera rather than a traditional social media feed and features safeguards.
• •Meta argued that the plaintiff used TikTok significantly more than Instagram or Facebook and that personal circumstances contributed to her struggles.