Sahar Nicolette  |  May 10, 2021

Category: Legal News

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Snapchat, LMK, YOLO fails to protect users from cyberbullying, a class action claims.
(Photo Credit: dennizn/DepositPhotos.com)

Social media apps Snapchat, YOLO, and LMK failed to safeguard children from cyberbullying, resulting in millions of users being harmed daily, and one user ending their own life, a nationwide class action lawsuit claims. 

In a class action filed Monday in a California federal court, Plaintiffs Kristin Bride and Tyler Clementi Foundation allege that social platforms Snapchat, YOLO, and LMK violated consumer protection laws in creating apps for teens that are “inherently dangerous and defective”, and making false promises about protection enforcement. 

YOLO and LMK are Snapchat integration apps primarily used by teens that allow Snapchat users to send anonymous messages.

Bride is the mother of Carson Bride, a 16-year-old teenager who took his own life after experiencing bullying on Snapchat, YOLO and LMK. Tyler Clementi Foundation is a national organization that focuses on fighting cyberbullying.

For years it has been known that anonymous messaging apps can cause harm to teenagers, the class action contends, so the apps should have foreseen the potential resulting harm to users.

“Certain apps are a ‘one-stop shop for the bully’ because everything they need is there: an audience, anonymity, an emphasis on appearances, and channels that range from public feeds to behind-the-back group chats,” the class action states.

Social Apps Allegedly Misrepresented Action on Cyberbullying

The apps also misrepresented the action that would be taken to combat cyberbullying, the class action alleges, with each app providing concrete statements on company missions that were not followed through with.

YOLO allegedly stated that it has a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, and would reveal the identities of users who engaged in bullying behaviour; LMK stated that it would report any cyberbullying to law enforcement; and Snapchat claimed it would remove any third party apps from its platform that allow bullying, the class action states. 

The mobile app companies are in the best position to address any cyberbullying issues, the claim alleges, as the platforms are where users’ interact instead of traditional classrooms. However, since the companies did not follow through with their promises, users were harmed, the class action states. 

“Due to the Defendants’ apps’ defective design and their misrepresentations, millions of users are harmed daily, suffering permanent consequences,” the claim states.

Carson and Tyler Clementi Foundation are looking to represent a national Snapchat, YOLO and LMK Class of teens between the ages of 13 and 17, who are or were registered users of the apps from May 10, 2018 to the date of the judgement for the class action.

The group is suing for strict liability, negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation, and negligent misrepresentation. They are also suing for violations of consumer protection laws including the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act, the New York Deceptive Acts, and Practices Act and the  New York False Advertising Act.

Carson and Tyler Clementi Foundation are asking that YOLO and LMK be discontinued and banned from the market until the apps can provide proof of safeguards that have been implemented. They are also asking that Snap Inc., remove all third-party apps that fail to provide appropriate action to prevent young users from cyberbullying.

The class action is seeking certification of the Class, physical and emotional damages, injunctive relief, restitution, interest, legal fees, and a jury trial.

This is not the first class action Snapchat has faced over not protecting minors. In July 2016, a class action lawsuit was filed against Snapchat, accusing the company of pushing sexually explicit content on its minor users without their parents’ knowledge or permission.

Do you use social apps Snapchat, YOLO or LMK? Do you think they are harmful platforms for cyberbullying? Let us know in the comments below. 

The plaintiffs are represented by John Karl Buche, Buche & Associates, P.C.

Counsel information for Snap Inc., LightSpace, Inc, and Yolo Technologies, Inc., was not immediately available. 

The Snapchat, YOLO, LMK, Cyberbullying Lawsuit is Bride et al v. Snap Inc. et al, Case No. 3:21-cv-03473-TSH, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (San Francisco Division). 


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61 thoughts onSnapchat, YOLO, LMK, Failed to Protect Children from Online Bullying, Class Action Claims

  1. Yvette Dhuperoyrs says:

    Yes pls add me… my grandkids have snap-chat it’s so true not only snapchat but all social media… I’m so against bullies…

  2. Carmen says:

    Buenos días , en la revista Tomorrow’s World , September 2022. Salió un artículo de un adolescente Nate Bronstein que escribió en Snapchat una W porque su equipo de basketball ganó y por publicar esto fue atacado con mensajes de Snapchat que circularon no solo en su escuela si no por todo la ciudad de Chicago, el joven se suicido el 13 de enero de este año. En este artículo hace mención a:
    FoxNews.com, June 30,2022

  3. Latoya says:

    Please add me my daughter had SnapChat, it got so bad she deactivated her page

  4. Denise Bennett says:

    Add me please. My 2 grandchildren cutting there selves, severe depression and anxiety from the clippings and messages. Secluding themselves doing unspeakable thing’s because of the cruel messages they receive.

  5. Renetta Harrington says:

    Add me

  6. Jessica peyton says:

    Add me

  7. Kerry McFarland says:

    Please add me. My 15-y-o daughter has been very adversely effected by Snapchat and Instagram, tic toc as well.

  8. Karla M. Rocha says:

    They do NOT monitor Snap Chat. People on there are selling drugs to our children. You click on their name and they show live pictures of all the drug paraphernalia they are selling and where you can meet them to get it. This is sickening and heartbreaking. My son was a victim. Please add me.

  9. Grant Lee says:

    Please add me. This app is distressing to our family.

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