Snapchat Lawsuit

A growing number of Snapchat lawsuits have been filed by angry parents who blame the social media app for their child’s suicide, mental health issues, eating disorders, and deadly car accidents.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Snapchat induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you believe Snapchat caused your child’s suicide, depression, eating disorder, or car accident, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

UPDATE: Another Grieving Family Sues Snapchat After Teen Suicide

In June 2022, the family of a teenage boy in Tennessee who committed suicide filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) and Snap Inc. (owner of Snapchat). The lawsuit alleged that the boy, Liam B., became addicted to social media and was the victim of child sex exploitation.

Snapchat Speed Filter Lawsuit Filed After Deadly Car Accident

In April 2022, federal judges ruled that Snap Inc. cannot escape a car accident lawsuit involving the tragic deaths of 3 teenage boys who were using the controversial “Speed Filter” app. The lawsuit alleges that Snapchat encouraged reckless driving by giving users trophies for photos taken at high speeds, which led to numerous deadly car accidents until the Speed Filter was removed in July 2021. Click here to read more.

Mom Files Snapchat Lawsuit for Teen Daughter’s Suicide

In January 2022, the mother of an 11-year-old girl filed a lawsuit blaming Snapchat and Instagram for her daughter’s suicide. The girl allegedly “struggled for more than two years with an extreme addiction to Instagram and Snapchat.”

Her addiction caused mental health problems, including depression, sleep deprivation, and eating disorders, which tragically led to her suicide in July 2021.

Another Snapchat Lawsuit Filed by a Mom in Oregon

In January 2022, another Snapchat lawsuit was filed by a mom in Oregon who claimed that her teenage daughter developed mental health problems “due to her obsessive social media use.” The girl allegedly developed an eating disorder and had to be hospitalized twice. Her mother claims that social media companies know their apps are harmful, but they do not warn users.

Teen Boy’s Mom Files Snapchat Suicide Lawsuit

In May 2021, the mother of a cyber-bullied 16-year-old boy who committed suicide filed a lawsuit against Snapchat, alleging that the Snapchat-integrated messaging apps YOLO and LMK were dangerous. “YOLO and LMK lack adequate safeguards to prevent teen users from being victimized by harassment, sexually explicit materials, and other harm,” the lawsuit claimed. Snapchat banned YOLO and LMK after the lawsuit.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a social media app that allows users to share pictures, videos, stories, and messages — called “Snaps” — that are only available for a short time before they become inaccessible.

What is the Danger?

Young people who use Snapchat could be at risk for:

• Suicide
• Suicide Ideation / Attempts
• Severe Depression
• Certain emotional disorders (anxiety, low self-esteem, etc.)
• Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, etc.)
• And more

Body Image Issues & Eating Disorders

Both men and women can suffer from body image issues after using Snapchat. Young people who spend a lot of time comparing themselves to their peers are likely to stress out about perceived flaws. This can damage their self-esteem and confidence. It also puts them at risk of developing eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, etc.) and other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression.

Social Media Addiction & Depression

Snapchat and other social media apps are designed to be addictive, encouraging people to use the app more and more and more. Young people are especially vulnerable to the addictive effects. Every time someone interacts on social media and gets a like, follower, or positive feedback, they get a “rush” of dopamine, similar to a slot machine.

Mental Health Risks of Using Social Media

Using social media can certainly have positive effects, like staying connected to friends. The problem is that it can also have devastating — or even life-threatening — risks for a young person’s mental health.

The more a user interacts with the app, the more their emotions become manipulated by the feedback they get. Negative feedback can cause instantaneous depression, anxiety, or mood swings. Positive feedback creates an exciting euphoric “high,” very similar to a drug.

Other Risks of Using Social Media

Social media is a big deal for teenagers, but they rarely have any idea what they are getting into when they download apps like Snapchat. The other problem is that most parents are oblivious — and the companies behind apps like Snapchat do nothing to warn users.

Teenagers and young adults can be easily victimized by cyberbullies or pedophiles. They may develop low self-esteem from constantly viewing photoshopped pictures and edited videos, without the maturity or experience to understand what’s real and what’s fake. They may over-share personal information or sexually explicit photos without understanding the long-term risks of posting these things online.

Do I have a Snapchat Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Snapchat induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you believe Snapchat caused your child’s suicide, depression, eating disorder, or car accident, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Product Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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