Judge Allows Lawsuit Claiming Snapchat Facilitated Illegal Drug Sales to Proceed

A California judge has allowed a lawsuit to proceed against Snap alleging that several dozen children purchased drugs using the app and later suffered fatal overdoses.

Families of more than 60 young people who died from fentanyl overdoses sued the company, which developed Snapchat, in October 2022, arguing that the platform’s feature of disappearing messages enables illegal activities, according to a report by NBC News.

Snap had objected to more than a dozen claims in the lawsuit, including alleged negligence, wrongful death and misrepresentation, but a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that 12 claims in the lawsuit can proceed.

The judge also dismissed four claims made against Snap that it had allegedly interfered with parental rights, caused a public nuisance and aided drug dealers through its disappearing messages, NBC News reported.

“We’re gratified that the court will allow parents to seek accountability for the death of their children to fentanyl overdose,” said Matthew Bergman, the attorney for the families who filed the lawsuit, according to NBC. “This is the first time in history that a social media company has been subjected to claims that it facilitated illegal and fatal drug sales.”

A spokesperson for Snap argued the company continues to attempt to stop people from buying and selling drugs on the app.

“While we are committed to advancing our efforts to stop drug dealers from engaging in illegal activity on Snapchat, we believe the plaintiffs’ allegations are both legally and factually flawed and will continue to defend that position in court,” said Snap spokesperson Ashley Adams.