Snap Inc. has filed a formal response to the claims made in a Snapchat fentanyl overdose deaths lawsuit brought by the parents of children who tragically died from fentanyl-laced pills acquired through the social media platform. In its response, the company contests the allegations that Snapchat’s features promote or facilitate the sale of counterfeit drugs, particularly to minors and young adults.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, includes claims from Rhonda Burris and numerous relatives of 27 deceased users. The plaintiffs allege that Snapchat’s app features encourage, advertise, and willfully ignore the illicit drug sales that have contributed to the overdose deaths of their loved ones.
Snap Inc. Challenges the Allegations
In its filing, Snap Inc. strongly denies these accusations, asserting that many of the decedents had a history of drug use, were involved in drug dealing, or had obtained drugs through other channels. Snap’s legal team pointed out that, based on initial evidence, at least 18 of the 27 deceased individuals had been involved in drug dealing. Furthermore, the company stated that nearly all of the deceased had prior histories of drug use known to their families.
“Snap raises these facts not to diminish the tragic circumstances of the decedents nor to cause further pain to the plaintiffs’ families, but to correct the record of misstatements made by plaintiffs’ counsel in the complaint,” the company stated in its response. “The truth is, unfortunately, that each of these deaths could have occurred under a number of circumstances—none of which hinged on the decedents’ or the drug dealers’ alleged use of Snapchat.”
Snap’s Efforts to Combat the Fentanyl Crisis
Snap Inc. emphasized its proactive efforts to address the fentanyl crisis in the wake of a 2021 public alert issued by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Within weeks of the DEA alert, Snap publicly updated its efforts to combat counterfeit drugs on its platform, investing in cutting-edge drug sales detection technology powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify and remove drug-related content.
The company’s filing reiterated its commitment to safety on its platform, noting that it has consistently taken swift action to prevent illegal activities, including the sale of counterfeit drugs.
Legal Representation and Case Details
The plaintiffs in the case are represented by Carrie Goldberg and Naomi Leeds of C.A. Goldberg PLLC, along with Matthew P. Bergman, Laura Marquez-Garrett, Glenn S. Draper, and Sydney Lottes of Social Media Victims Law Center. Snap Inc. is represented by Jessica L. Grant of Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP, and J. Alexander Lawrence, Tamara Wiesebron, Justin Kareem Rezkalla, and Marcus Grimes of Morrison & Foerster LLP.
The case is Rhonda Burris et al. v. Snap Inc., case number 22SMCV01428, and is currently being heard in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.
