In a case that highlights the potential dangers of social media platforms, the parents of children who died due to overdosing on fentanyl-laced pills are taking on Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, in a lawsuit. The plaintiffs allege that Snapchat's design and features have inadvertently facilitated illegal drug sales to teens and young adults.
In 2021, Sammy, the 16-year-old son of Samuel Chapman and Laura Berman, tragically died after consuming a pill laced with fentanyl. This pill was allegedly procured through a contact made on Snapchat. Similarly, in 2020, 14-year-old Alexander, the son of Amy Neville, lost his life in a comparable incident. Both families are now part of a lawsuit that seeks to hold Snap Inc. accountable.
Snapchat's Features Under Scrutiny
The legal confrontation is set to intensify as both sides prepare for a pivotal hearing at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse. During this hearing, the court will determine the fate of the lawsuit: whether it can proceed or if Snap Inc.'s motion to dismiss will be accepted.
Amy Neville conveyed her disappointment with Snapchat, stating, "Kids are losing their lives, and they [Snapchat] swept it under the rug... The way that we are going to bring Snapchat and other social media companies to the table is through lawsuits and legislation."
A unique aspect of Snapchat is its transient message feature, which automatically deletes messages after they're viewed. The lawsuit points out that this, combined with other functionalities like geolocation and the 'My Eyes Only' privacy feature, makes it particularly appealing to illicit drug dealers.
Matthew Bergman, a representative of the Social Media Victims Law Center, emphasized, "Snapchat is not the most popular platform among young people, but it is uniquely set up to facilitate and provide advantages that other platforms don't have to drug dealers."
Amy Neville recounted the harrowing experience of her son confessing his addiction to her, only to lose him the very next day. "Sometime after 9 o'clock, he took the pill that took his life. His death blindsided us. That's how we learned about fentanyl," she said.
For Samuel Chapman, the loss of his son Sammy was an unforeseen tragedy. He believed that Snapchat's environment was analogous to dropping his child "in the most dangerous, drug-filled neighborhood."
Collaborative Efforts
Chapman emphasizes that their issue with Snap Inc. isn't about the drug dealers per se, but about the algorithms that facilitate these dangerous connections. The lawsuit is pushing for Snap Inc. to re-evaluate and disable these algorithms for younger users.
Meanwhile, since her son's death, Amy Neville has established the Alexander Neville Foundation. Through this nonprofit, she hopes to educate parents about the ongoing drug crisis and the hazards of social media.
Snap Inc. refrained from commenting on the active litigation but stated its commitment to user safety. A company spokesperson stated, "At Snap, we are working hard to stop dealers from abusing our platform and to raise awareness with Snapchatters and parents about the dangers of fentanyl."
The spokesperson further highlighted the company's efforts, including blocking drug-related search terms, introducing a Family Center for more parental visibility, and collaborating with law enforcement to address illegal activities.
Last year, in an initiative to combat the fentanyl epidemic, Snapchat collaborated with tech giants Meta and Google, along with the Ad Council, on a public awareness campaign.
