After three kids died in car crash while using Snapchat, US court says family members can sue company

The suit, filed by the parents of the two passengers, said there had been at least three other crashes of vehicles whose occupants tracked and posted their speeds with Snapchat devices. — Reuters

Three US youngsters were killed in 2017 when their car, traveling at 113mph (181kmph), flew off a road in southeastern Wisconsin and slammed into a tree. Just before the crash, one of the youths had opened the Speed Filter on Snapchat to record their velocity and share it with others.

On May 4, a US federal appeals court said family members could sue Snap Inc for marketing a product that allegedly encouraged dangerous driving. While the California-based social media platform warns against using the Speed Filter while driving, Snapchat rewards users with trophies and “social recognition” for pictures they post, and according to the suit, many of its users believe the platform will reward them for recording speeds of 100mph (160kmph) or more.