In recent years, Snapchat’s speed filter has been at the center of legal controversy due to its alleged role in promoting reckless driving. This feature allowed users to capture and share their real-time speed, which some claim encouraged dangerous behavior behind the wheel. Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Snap Inc., Snapchat’s parent company, holding them accountable for accidents allegedly caused by the feature.
The 2015 Georgia Incident and Legal Developments
One of the most notable cases involves a 2015 car crash in Georgia, where Christal McGee was driving on Tara Boulevard in Clayton County with three passengers. According to witness Heather McCarty, McGee aimed to reach 100 mph to capture the moment using Snapchat’s speed filter. Reports indicate her speedometer hit 113 mph just before she collided with Wentworth Maynard, who had just exited his apartment complex. The crash left Maynard with permanent brain injuries, requiring an extended stay in intensive care.
Maynard and his wife filed a lawsuit against Snap Inc., alleging that the speed filter incentivized reckless driving. They claimed that Snapchat was negligent in designing and implementing a feature that encouraged users to break speed limits for social media content.
Snap Inc., in its defense, argued that the misuse of the speed filter was unforeseeable and that the app included on-screen warnings advising users “Do NOT Snap and Drive.” However, despite these claims, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that the Maynards’ lawsuit could proceed, rejecting the apex doctrine, which often protects high-level executives from being deposed.
Snapchat CEO Ordered to Testify
A major development in this case came when Judge Josh Thacker of the State Court of Spalding County, Georgia, ordered Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel to provide a deposition regarding his involvement in the creation and removal of the speed filter. The deposition is limited to five hours due to Spiegel’s executive responsibilities, but the ruling is significant, as it establishes executive accountability in product-related lawsuits.
While Snap Inc. has not immediately responded to the ruling, this development has sparked further debate on the responsibility of social media platforms in regulating user behavior and preventing dangerous misuse of their features.
Snapchat’s Response and Feature Removal
Amid growing legal pressure and public criticism, Snapchat officially removed the speed filter in 2021, acknowledging concerns that it encouraged reckless driving. While the company insists that user safety has always been a priority, critics argue that the removal was a belated acknowledgment of the feature’s dangers.
Implications for Social Media Platforms
This case raises a broader legal and ethical question about the responsibility of tech companies in preventing risky behaviors associated with their platform features. Should companies be held liable for how users engage with their tools? And what role should social media platforms play in preventing reckless or harmful behavior?
The outcome of this lawsuit could set a precedent for future legal battles involving social media features that potentially encourage dangerous activities. If Snap Inc. is found liable, it could lead to stricter regulations and increased accountability for tech companies designing engagement-driven features.
As the case moves forward, all eyes are on Snapchat and how the legal system will shape the future of digital responsibility in app development.
More Snapchat’s speed filter News
Recently, Snapchat has come under intense scrutiny following a lawsuit stemming from a tragic motor vehicle accident involving its speed filter.
In recent years, Snapchat’s speed filter has been at the center of legal debates due to its alleged role in promoting reckless driving behaviors.
