Snap Inc., the maker of Snapchat, is a defendant in thousands of lawsuits alleging that features such as Snapstreaks and disappearing messages were designed to keep teenagers on the app and harmed their mental health. Snap settled K.G.M., R.K.C. and the Breathitt County school district case, and P.M.Y. dismissed her claims against Snap without a settlement. It remains a defendant, with Meta, in the consolidated Los Angeles trial set to begin October 28, 2026, which could make it the first time a jury in the California proceeding decides claims against Snapchat.
Last updated October 20, 2026.
At a Glance
- Platform: Snapchat.
- Courts: federal MDL No. 3047 (N.D. Cal.) and California JCCP No. 5255 (Los Angeles Superior Court).
- Jury verdicts: none. Snap settled K.G.M., R.K.C. and the Breathitt County school district case.
- Next trial: October 28, 2026, in Los Angeles, with Meta as co-defendant.
- State cases: New Mexico, Nevada, Florida, Utah, Texas and Pennsylvania.
What the Lawsuits Allege Against Snapchat
Plaintiffs allege that Snapchat’s design encourages compulsive use. Snapstreaks, which track consecutive days on which friends exchange photo or video Snaps and warn when a streak is about to expire, are alleged to exploit teens’ fear of missing out. Other features at issue include disappearing messages, filters and lenses, push notifications, Quick Add and Find Friends suggestions, and Snap Map. Plaintiffs also allege weak age verification and parental controls. The injuries alleged include addiction, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm. Court documents in the first California case reportedly show Snap employees raising concerns about teen mental health over a period of years; Snap called those examples cherry-picked.
Snap also faces separate lawsuits that are not part of the addiction cases. Families of young people who died after buying counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl through contacts made on Snapchat sued in Los Angeles Superior Court in Neville v. Snap. In January 2024, the judge ruled that Section 230 does not bar most of their claims, and in December 2024 the Court of Appeal declined to intervene. Other suits involve sextortion and the exploitation of minors.
Snap’s Settlement Record
| Case | Trial setting | Result for Snap |
|---|---|---|
| K.G.M. | Los Angeles, Jan. 2026 | Settled Jan. 20, 2026 |
| Breathitt County Schools | Federal MDL, June 2026 | Settled, $8M (reported) |
| R.K.C. | Los Angeles, July 2026 | Settled before trial |
| P.M.Y. | Los Angeles, Oct. 2026 | Plaintiff dismissed Snap |
| S.J. and K.D.B. | Los Angeles, Oct. 28, 2026 | Going to trial |
Snap settled the first California bellwether on January 20, 2026, a week before jury selection, saying it was pleased to resolve the matter amicably. Meta and YouTube went on to lose that trial. Snap settled with the Breathitt County school district in May 2026, paying $8 million according to Reuters’ review of the settlement records, and it reached a settlement with R.K.C. on July 20, 2026, a week before his trial. Terms of the individual settlements are confidential. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was ordered in October 2025 to testify at trial but did not take the stand in the first case because Snap settled. He is expected to testify in the October 28 trial.
State Cases Against Snap
Several states have sued Snap. New Mexico’s 2024 lawsuit alleges that Snapchat’s design exposed children to sextortion and other harms; in April 2025, a judge denied Snap’s motion to dismiss. In February 2026, the Nevada Supreme Court denied Snap’s petition to end that state’s case, clearing a path to trial. Florida sued in April 2025 under its law restricting social media accounts for minors. Utah sued in June 2025, Texas in February 2026, and Pennsylvania in August 2026, each alleging addictive features or misleading safety claims. In January 2025, the Federal Trade Commission referred a complaint about Snapchat’s My AI chatbot to the Justice Department.
Snap’s Response
Snap says the lawsuits misrepresent how its platform works, noting that Snapchat opens to a camera rather than a feed of content. It points to Family Center parental tools, introduced in 2022 and expanded since, and to limits on how teens can be found by strangers. In September 2026, Spiegel told the BBC that Snap was willing to implement daily time limits for teens, without giving a timeline.
For where the full litigation stands, including who may have a claim, compensation and filing deadlines, see the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Update.
Doyle APC handles Snapchat addiction lawsuits nationwide together with experienced co-counsel.
Other companies: Meta and Instagram, TikTok, YouTube.
Common Questions
Is there a Snapchat class action lawsuit for addiction?
No. The Snapchat addiction cases are a mass tort. Each person files an individual claim, and the claims are coordinated in federal MDL No. 3047 and California JCCP No. 5255.
Has Snap gone to trial in a social media addiction case?
Not yet. Snap settled K.G.M., R.K.C. and the Breathitt County school district case, and P.M.Y. dismissed her claims against Snap without a settlement. It remains a defendant, with Meta, in the Los Angeles trial set to begin October 28, 2026.
Has Snap settled social media addiction lawsuits?
Yes. Snap settled the K.G.M. and R.K.C. cases in Los Angeles and the Breathitt County school district case in federal court. Terms of the individual settlements are confidential.
What does the Snapchat lawsuit claim about streaks?
Plaintiffs and several states allege that Snapstreaks, which track consecutive days on which friends exchange photo or video Snaps and warn when a streak is about to expire, were designed to drive compulsive use by teens.
Is the Snapchat fentanyl lawsuit part of the addiction cases?
No. The fentanyl cases, led by Neville v. Snap in Los Angeles Superior Court, are a separate group of wrongful death lawsuits over drug sales arranged through Snapchat.
See If You Qualify for Social Media Addiction Compensation
Doyle APC handles social media addiction claims nationwide together with experienced co-counsel, for young people and families harmed by Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat or YouTube. Many people with claims are now adults who can file on their own. There are no fees or costs unless there is a recovery.
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