Social media giant Snap, Inc., parent of Snapchat, agreed to settle a lawsuit over social media addiction just days before its CEO was scheduled to testify under oath.

The lawsuit is the first in a series of major lawsuits coming to trial this year, including defendants Meta (Facebook and Instagram), ByteDance (TikTok), Snap (Snapchat), and Alphabet (YouTube). The three main lawsuits consolidate “thousands of lawsuits [that] accuse them of fueling a youth mental health crisis through addictive platform design,” according to a summary of the litigation by Beasley Allen, a law firm involved on the plaintiff’s side.

Cecilia Kang, who covers technology regulation for The New York Times, summarized the complaints in the case:

They argue that features like infinite scroll, auto video play and algorithmic recommendations have led to compulsive social media use and caused depression, eating disorders and self-harm.

Social media companies have been able to avoid liability for the content appearing on their platforms using the Section 230 shield of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). However, attorneys penetrated that shield by arguing it is the design of the networks that is causing harm, as well as the content.

The settlement with Snap was announced on January 20 in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Jury selection in the trial is scheduled to start on January 27. The BBC reports that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify. The New York Times reports that “No financial or other details were announced about the settlement” with Snap.

The case proceeds against the other three defendant tech companies. Snap is still defending itself in two other major lawsuits over social media addiction, working their way through the courts. Beasley Allen speculates on what the outcome of these trials might mean for social media companies:

If the lawsuits succeed, they could lead to billions of dollars in damages, sweeping reforms in platform design, and new regulations governing how tech companies interact with minors. The litigation is being compared to past landmark cases against Big Tobacco and opioid manufacturers — industries that were held accountable for public health harms after years of denial.

The social media companies argue that “the plaintiffs’ evidence falls short of proving that they are responsible for alleged harms such as depression and eating disorders,” according to the BBC. On the other side, plaintiffs say the networks are “defective” and therefore subject to liability for personal injury, just as any defective product would be.

The year 2026 is going to be big for social media companies. Australia has banned social media for children under the age of 16. The U.K. and other nations are considering similar bans. The E.U. has taken an aggressive stand toward X and other social media platforms. Some countries have outright banned them, including China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.

Stay tuned to AddictionNews as we follow these cases through the courts and report on social media addiction, smartphone addiction, and chatbot addiction.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published January 29, 2026.

Sources:

“Snap Settles Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Ahead of a Landmark Trial,” The New York Times, January 20, 2026.

“Snapchat’s parent company settles social media addiction lawsuit before trial,” The Guardian, January 21, 2026.

“Snap settles social media addiction lawsuit ahead of trial,” BBC, January 20, 2026.

“Social Media Status: Clicks, Crises, and Courtroom Clashes,” Beasley Allen, November 17, 2025.

Image Copyright: Sanket Mishra.