Social media played a major role in our son’s fentanyl death. We need to make it safer | Opinion

In February of 2021, our lives were shattered when our beloved 16-year-old son, Sammy, died from fentanyl poisoning. Like so many teenagers, Sammy was full of promise, curiosity and a deep love for life. But one afternoon, he made the tragic mistake of connecting with a drug dealer on the social media app Snapchat — a dealer who delivered a counterfeit drug laced with fentanyl to our house in Santa Monica like a pizza after we were asleep. That single dose took his life and left our family forever changed.

As parents, our mission now is to ensure that no other family has to endure the devastating loss that we live with every day. This tragedy has become a rallying cry for reform, accountability and awareness, culminating in our advocacy for Sammy’s Law (H.R. 5778) and our fight against tech companies like Snap Inc., whose platforms have become accomplices to the fentanyl epidemic.

Sammy’s Law: Protecting our children online

Sammy’s Law, currently pending in Congress, seeks to introduce much-needed safeguards for children and teenagers on social media. If passed, it would require platforms like Snapchat, TikTok and Discord to open a link to third party safety software which would give parents a warning if something dangerous or illegal happened on their children’s devices.

Social media platforms are not neutral bystanders; they actively design systems that promote engagement at any cost, even if it means exposing children to harmful content. We urge Congress to prioritize this legislation — it’s a matter of life and death.

In our efforts to mobilize support for the bill, we’ve connected with countless families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl and other dangers linked to social media. Their stories fuel our determination to turn our grief into meaningful change.

Holding Snap Inc. accountable

Social media companies have long hidden behind the First Amendment and the Communications Decency Act, which shields them from liability for content posted by users. While the act was designed to foster free expression, it has also allowed platforms to avoid responsibility for the real-world harm they facilitate.

We are among families advancing a lawsuit in California (Neville et al v. Snap Inc) seeking justice for children lost to fentanyl poisoning via Snapchat. Our case argues that Snap Inc.’s features — such as disappearing messages and untraceable usernames — create a fertile ground for illicit activity. These design choices are not accidental, they are part of a business model that prioritizes user retention over safety.

While no legal outcome can bring Sammy back, we believe that holding Snap Inc. accountable is a critical step toward systemic change. Social media companies must prioritize safety over profits or they will continue to play a role in the senseless deaths of young people like our son.

The People’s Bid for TikTok

We helped create a coalition of angel parents like ourselves to support the purchase TikTok by billionaire investor Frank McCourt, know as The People’s Bid for TikTok. This effort seeks to transform TikTok into a public trust dedicated to safe and ethical digital engagement. Social media platforms wield enormous influence over young people’s lives, and it’s time for that influence to be used responsibly. By removing data scraping and profit-driven engagement, The People’s Bid aims to create a platform that prioritizes mental health, safety and community over addictive algorithms, giving control back to the user and protecting children online.

A call to action

Our family’s journey from profound loss to activism is one we never wanted to take. But if our pain can help prevent even one more family from experiencing this nightmare, then Sammy’s legacy will live on in the most meaningful way possible.

We ask parents, lawmakers and tech leaders to join us in this fight. Support Sammy’s Law by contacting your representatives. Demand accountability from social media companies. Talk to your children about the dangers lurking online. Together, we can build a safer, more compassionate digital world for future generations.

This story was originally published January 18, 2025 at 6:00 AM.