(NewsNation) — Families of children who died after taking drugs containing fentanyl are suing Snap Inc., the parent company of the popular messaging platform Snapchat.
The families of over 60 children who died from fentanyl overdoses originally sued Snap Inc. in Oct. 2022. Snap Inc. attempted to get the lawsuit dismissed, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence P. Riff ruled on Jan. 2 that the parents’ lawsuit may move forward and proceed to trial.
Here is what to know:
What does the complaint against Snap Inc. allege?
The lawsuit, Neville et al v. Snap Inc., alleges the company allows people to sell illicit drugs on their platform, leading to deaths,
The suit alleges negligence, defective product, misrepresentation and wrongful death.
The families also allege Snapchat’s disappearing message feature can perpetuate illegal conduct by allowing users to obscure their actions, saying it makes it difficult for law enforcement to track down evidence of illegal activity.
The parents say their children died too soon after taking drugs they did not know contained fentanyl.
Los Angeles father Jaimie Puerta lost his son, who took a pill that he bought online thinking it was oxycodone.
He said Snapchat allows drug dealers “to sell illicit counterfeit drugs to our children.”
“You have a social media app like Snapchat which is propagating these drug deaths,” he said.
An extended version of the complaint filed in 2023 also alleges, “Snap and Snapchat’s role in illicit drug sales to teens was the foreseeable result of the designs, structures, and policies Snap chose to implement to increase its revenues.”
What is the fentanyl overdose lawsuit seeking?
According to court documents, the families are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
However, reports indicate families also want Snapchat’s algorithm changed, calling for the social media giant to allow child monitoring software and better protections for children.
Social media companies are typically shielded from legal action under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects tech companies against lawsuits filed because of activities that occur on their platforms.
Critics are also calling for a change to the product liability laws seen as shielding tech companies from being liable for activities that occurred on their platform.
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What are the dangers of fentanyl to children?
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for pain relief and anesthetic.
As fentanyl has spread across the U.S., it has transformed the illicit drug market and raised the risk of overdose.
Physicians have seen a rise in unintentional fentanyl use from people buying prescription opioids and other drugs laced, or adulterated, with fentanyl, leading people to be unaware of what they are really ingesting.
People may also be unaware of how strong fentanyl is and how easily it can lead to an overdose.
Fentanyl is roughly 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is internationally synthesized in China, Mexico and India, then exported to the United States as powder or pressed pills.
Law enforcement says Mexican drug cartels are getting more creative in trying to hide loads of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, to bring illegally across the border into the United States.
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How did Snap react to the lawsuit?
Snap previously attempted to get the lawsuit dismissed back in October, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence P. Riff ruled that the parents’ lawsuit may continue to trial.
A spokesperson for Snap said the company is cooperating with law enforcement investigations, including preserving and disclosing data in response to valid legal requests.
According to reports, Snap spokesperson Ashley Adams said the company is also “working diligently to stop drug dealers from abusing our platform.”
Adams said the company does this by deploying technologies to identify and shut down dealers proactively.
Adams also said the company supports law enforcement efforts to help bring dealers to justice and educate our community and the general public about the dangers of fentanyl.
“It is devastating that the national fentanyl epidemic has taken the lives of so many people and we have great empathy for families who have suffered unimaginable losses,” Adams said in a statement. “At Snap, we are working hard to stop dealers from abusing our platform.”
