Snapchat Faces Lawsuits Over Fentanyl-Related Deaths of Young People

Families of 60 young people who died of fentanyl overdoses have filed an expanded lawsuit against Snapchat, alleging that the social media platform is hospitable to drug trafficking and has turned a blind eye to drug sales. The lawsuit claims that Snapchat frustrates law enforcement's efforts to prosecute individuals who use the platform to sell illegal drugs. The lawsuit also alleges that Snapchat notifies drug dealers when they receive a subpoena or other legal requests for their account information, giving them time to alter their actions. The lawsuit includes two new families, including Sam Chapman and his wife, Laura Berman, of Santa Monica, Calif., who lost their 16-year-old son Sammy to an overdose in February 2021. Chapman joined the lawsuit against the company this week, telling NBC News that he has lost hope that Congress will rein in the company.