Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

What Is the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit?

The Social Media Youth Harm and Addiction Lawsuit includes thousands of individual cases. These were filed across the country against major social media companies. Most of these lawsuits are being sent to a single federal court for coordinated handling.

Individuals harmed as minors can file their own lawsuit. If eligible, the case may be transferred to the federal court handling similar claims.

People bringing the lawsuits allege: 

• Algorithms of certain major social media platforms are addictive.
• Platforms in question are: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.
• That the companies knew about addictive design features and failed to warn users.
• These companies not only allowed minors on their platforms. They also targeted them through design choices and youth-focused features.
• These design choices allegedly led minors to develop compulsive usage patterns. That behavior, in turn, contributed to other harms.
• Other harms include: 
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Sleep problems
• Self-harm
• Suicidality 
• Even death

The lawsuit is a product liability claim. It alleges that design defects in the platforms may have exposed users to increased risk of harm. The products in question are the social media platforms themselves. This is an important distinction. The lawsuit is not about the dangers of user‑generated content. It focuses on design features and algorithms that allegedly promote compulsive use or harmful exposure.

The larger lawsuit is part of a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL). An MDL combines similar cases for pretrial proceedings. Unlike a class action, each person still has their own individual lawsuit. Each case includes separate evidence and damages.

You can visit the official court docket for this lawsuit to view all lawsuit filings and updates.

Why Families Are Filing Claims

Families and individuals are filing lawsuits to hold social media companies accountable. They allege design choices harmed underage users.

The individuals bringing the lawsuits allege: 

• Defendant companies prioritized user engagement over user safety. 
• Children suffered emotional, mental and physical harm tied to excessive social media use.
• Families allege that compulsive use was associated with depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. It was also linked to sleep problems, self-harm, and suicidality in many minors.
• Compulsive use can replace healthy activities like sleep and in‑person socializing. The lawsuit says this may harm minors’ well-being.

Core Allegations Against Social Media Platforms

The lawsuit claims major social media platforms used defective design features. These features were allegedly unsafe for young users. These allegedly defective design features include:

• Infinite Scroll and Endless Feeds – These allegedly keep users engaged without any natural stopping points.
• Autoplay – This automatically serves new videos, allegedly making it hard for minors to disengage.
• Algorithmic Recommendation Systems – These systems select and prioritize content in ways that may encourage prolonged use.
• Push Notifications – This feature prompts repeated checking of the apps and may disrupt sleep and daily routines.
• Streaks and Intermittent Rewards – Encourage continuous use of the apps such as badges or “Snap Streaks” for example, that may motivate compulsive use.

Failure-to-Warn Allegations

The lawsuit claims the companies failed to warn parents and underage users about the risks of using their platforms. The specific risks being addictive features possibly leading to compulsive use. 

People filing lawsuits allege it contributed to: 

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders
• Sleep disruption
• Self‑harm
• Suicidality

Plaintiffs allege the companies knew or should have known about these risks. They claim the platforms failed to provide adequate warning.

Negligence Allegations

People bringing the lawsuits also allege the companies acted negligently by providing:

• Poor parental controls – Tools that gave parents only limited oversight.
• Weak age-verification systems – Allowing children under 13 to easily open accounts themselves.
• Inadequate protections for minors – Safety measures that failed to protect minors from allegedly harmful risks associated with the platforms’ design features.

Key Allegations in the Federal Lawsuit

The federal lawsuit claims these major platforms were purposely built to attract and addict young users. The lawsuit says, “millions of kids use Defendants’ products compulsively.” It claims this has contributed to: 

• Compulsive use of the social media platforms by minors
• Emotional distress
• Other mental and physical health harms

Health and Research Findings

Peer-reviewed studies and public-health agencies have raised concerns about youth mental health. Many link those concerns to social media use.

US Surgeon General Advisory

The US Surgeon General issued an advisory, warning about youth social media use. 

The advisory said many platforms use business models focused on maximizing user engagement. This contrasts with protecting users’ health and promoting safe, healthy engagement.

The advisory states that some design features may pose risks. These include depression, anxiety, sleep problems, eating-disorder concerns, or self-harm in youth.

JAMA Psychiatry Study

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry found similar results. A study of 12-15 year olds found that spending over 3 hours a day on social media was associated with a higher risk of developing mental health problems.

Indian Journal of Psychiatry Study

A review in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry found that some adolescents encounter self‑harm content online. Users may: 

• See or imitate self-injuring behaviors 
• Imitate behaviors seen in videos depicting self-harm 
• Receive messages that encourage self-harming behaviors 

These interactions can contribute to normalization of self-harm thoughts and behaviors.

The study also concluded that more time on social networks is linked to higher psychological distress. It also found increased suicidal ideation in depressed adolescents.

How the Apps Keep Users Engaged

The lawsuit claims some platform features were designed to maximize engagement. These features are linked to compulsive use among minors. Such features include:

• Endless scrolling 
• Algorithm-driven feeds 
• Notifications 
• Unpredictable “likes” 

To support that claim, the lawsuit cites research from the field of neuroscience. This research finds that when rewards are unpredictable, they produce stronger dopamine responses. These dopamine responses reinforce the behaviors that lead to such rewards.

The lawsuit also cites research that uses a tool called the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. This scale measures social media addiction based on six components: 

• Preoccupation
• Mood modification
• Tolerance
• Withdrawal
• Conflict
• Relapse

The lawsuit claims these findings together support the following idea:

That engagement-focused design features allegedly contribute to compulsive use and related harms in young people.

Are You Eligible to File a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit?

Eligibility for joining this lawsuit can vary. Eligibility depends on age, usage, and any mental or physical injuries. Diagnosis and treatment history also matter.

Types of Injuries Linked to Social Media Addiction

Families and individuals filing lawsuits allege mental, physical, and behavioral harms. These claims are linked to compulsive social‑media use.

Many reported conditions are ones that commonly affect young people in general.

CDC reports highlight this issue. Nearly one in five children ages 3-17 has been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral condition.

Mental Health Injuries

Mental-health injuries that have been reported include: 

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Body-image issues
• Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating disorder)
• OCD-like checking behaviors
• Heightened ADHD symptoms

There have also been reports of minors experiencing: 

• Withdrawal
• Irritability
• Mood instability
• Difficulty stopping social media use despite wanting to

To assess potential claims, law firms typically look for:

• Symptoms or diagnoses of these mental health harms 
• Excessive or compulsive use of social media platforms

Physical or Behavioral Injuries

Some claims in the lawsuit include physical or behavioral injuries. For example:

• Self-harm (including cutting)
• Suicide attempts
• Sleep disruption

Hospitalization and other medically documented complications have been reported in the news. According to media reports: 

• CBS News: family blames a TikTok blackout challenge for a 12-year-old’s death. 
• NBC News reported rising teen eating‑disorder hospitalizations. Experts also raised concerns about online dieting content.
• The Guardian: coroner found harmful online content contributed to Molly Russell’s death.

Some families allege that physical injuries occurred after algorithms pushed harmful content. For example: 

• Extreme dieting (such as “thinspiration” content)
• Self-harm communities
• Viral challenges encouraging dangerous behaviors

Alleged Effects on School Performance and Social Well-Being

Compulsive use of social media platforms by minors may also impact day-to-day life. Reported effects by some families include:

• Decline in grades
• Truancy (missed school without an excuse)
• Social withdrawal
• Struggles forming or maintaining offline relationships

Some possible interference to healthy routines and emotional development may include:

• Constant comparison
• Dependence on validation
• Loss of sleep impacting attention and ability to learn

There are also alleged impacts at a community level. Related lawsuits brought by school districts claim increases in: 

• Counseling needs
• Behavioral incidents
• Mental-health crisis

Signs Your Child May Be Affected

If you are wondering if you or your child might be affected, look for the following patterns:

• Excessive screen time
• Secrecy around their social media accounts
• Use of “burner profiles” used to avoid parental supervision
• Mood swings when they only have limited access to social media
• Isolation from friends or family
• Sudden drops in grades
• Avoiding usual activities they take part in
• Exposure to extreme or inappropriate content
• Interacting with predatory users
• Acts of self-harm
• Participation in high-risk online communities

Which Social Media Platforms Are Being Sued?

Why Social Media Platforms May Be Liable

People filing lawsuits argue major social media platforms may be legally responsible. They claim the platforms have contributed to harming minors. This is due to:

• How the products were designed 
• How risks were handled 
• How children were targeted

The main legal arguments include:

• Design Defects – Platforms allegedly included features that are unreasonably dangerous for minors.
• Failure to Warn – Companies allegedly knew about risks but did not warn parents or young users.
• Negligence – Platforms allegedly failed to take reasonable steps to protect minors. This was despite allegedly knowing many were using their products.

Defective and Addictive Design Features

The federal MDL repeatedly alleges that each company both: 

• “intentionally designed product features to addict children and adolescents” 
• “designed their apps to attract and addict youth”

These allegations are supported by broader public-health findings. This is in addition to the previously mentioned:

• US Surgeon General’s warning
• News reports 
• Peer reviewed studies 

In the 2022 State of the Union address, President Biden urged holding platforms accountable. He said the platforms were running a “national experiment” on children for profit. He called for stronger accountability.

The lawsuit mentions another neuroscience study consistent with the allegations. The study was published in Lancet Psychiatry in 2016. They found children are more vulnerable to:

• Dopamine-driven reinforcement
• Withdrawal
• Compulsive seeking behaviors 

Researchers said this was due to underdeveloped self-regulation.

Infinite Scroll & Autoplay

The lawsuit alleges that certain features remove natural cues for stopping social media use sessions. It claims these features promote compulsive and prolonged use. These features include:

• Infinite scroll 
• Autoplay 
• Endless feeds

These concerns are heightened for minors. Adolescent brain development includes not yet fully developed impulse control and self‑regulation.

Research has consistently identified these features as central to alleged “addictive design.”

Algorithmic Recommendations

The lawsuit alleges that platform recommendation systems push increasingly extreme or harmful content. This content is often offered or served to a child after they express minimal interest.

Examples described in lawsuits and reports include:

• Eating-disorder content
• Self-harm or suicide-related material
• Sexualized or age-inappropriate content
• Violent or shocking videos

According to allegations, social media algorithms optimize for engagement, not safety. This may quickly escalate what kind of content minors are shown.

Push Notifications & Streaks

Push Notifications

This feature is alleged to trigger: 

• Immediate responses 
• Bolstering compulsive checking of social media

Game-Like Mechanics 

Examples of these features are streaks, Snapscore, and other rapid-feedback features. Allegations say these create social pressure, fear of missing out, and anxiety around “breaking” a streak.

Such mechanics are cited in the lawsuit and public-health analysis. Many researchers say this has contributed to addictive patterns of use among minors.

Disappearing Messages & Ephemeral Content

Lawsuits claim ephemeral messaging (temporary disappearing messages) features:

• Encourage minors to share harmful, illegal, or sexually explicit material. 
• Provide predators with a vehicle to recruit victims.
• Make it more difficult for parents to keep tabs on their children.
• Create a sense of impunity. The lawsuit alleges this can aid exploitation, grooming, sextortion, and CSAM-related offenses.

Failure to Warn Users About Risks

The lawsuit alleges the companies failed to warn families about risks they allegedly knew or should have known. Specifically associated with:

• Compulsive use
• Harmful content
• Mental-health impacts

This is despite internal research and data allegedly suggesting those features harm children.

Families and individuals argue:

• Warnings were not provided during account creation or use.
• They would have better monitored or limited use had risks been disclosed.

The Surgeon General similarly states that companies are often: 

“not transparent about the impact of their products.” 

This allegedly can prevent families from making informed decisions. With more transparency, parents may not have allowed their children to use social media.

Targeting Children

The lawsuit includes specific language such as:

• “Meta intentionally encourages youth to use its products”
• “Snap targets children”
• “ByteDance encourages youth to use TikTok”

Families and individuals allege the platforms not only permitted youth use but actively pursued it. They allegedly tried to entice underage use through: 

• Design choices 
• Targeted features 
• Youth-oriented products

Messenger Kids

Advocacy groups sent a letter about the feature Messenger Kids to Mark Zuckerberg. They tried to warn him that the product could undermine child well-being.

Lack of Parental Controls & Age Verification

The lawsuit alleges that platforms lacked meaningful age-verification systems. People suing the companies say under‑13 users were allowed onto platforms made for older audiences.

Common alleged issues include:

• Self-reported birthdays easily bypassed
• Known underage accounts were allowed to remain active
• Limited or ineffective parental monitoring tools
• Youth-targeted features launched despite safety concerns

Section 230 and Why Courts Are Allowing Claims to Proceed

Social media platforms have tried to dismiss these lawsuits under a law known as Section 230. Section 230 protects platforms from liability for user-generated content. 

Courts have allowed these cases to move forward because:

• Section 230 does not protect companies for their own product design choices.
• Claims focus on defective design, not the content posted by users.
• Failure-to-warn and negligence claims address company conduct, not third-party speech.

The U.S. Department of Justice has made clear that Section 230 does not apply to a company’s product design. They also said it does not cover the company’s own business conduct.

Common Injuries Alleged in Social Media Addiction Cases

The lawsuit alleges excessive or harmful social media use can contribute to youth injuries. 

The complaints describe harms in: 

• Mental health 
• Behavior
• Physical wellbeing 
• Academic functioning 

The lawsuit cites scientific research on heavy social media use. That research links high use to several negative outcomes.

The injuries described below reflect some of the harms described in the lawsuit.

Depression & Anxiety

Research shows an association between heavy social media use and higher anxiety. It also links heavy use to more depressive symptoms.

Study Indexed in the National Library of Medicine 

Prolonged social media use is associated with increased anxiety, depression, and body-image concerns. These effects appear across teens and young adults.

JAMA Network

As referenced before, teens who used social media more than 3 hours a day had a higher likelihood of internalizing problems. These include symptoms such as depression and anxiety.

Guilford Journals

A randomized study showed that limiting Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use to 10 minutes a day reduced depression. It also reduced loneliness during the same three-week period.

International Journal of Adolescence and Youth

Adolescents struggle with self-regulation and can be highly influenced by their peers. A systematic review found both traits increase their vulnerability. As a result, social media can have stronger negative emotional effects on them.

Eating Disorders & Body-Image Harm

Lawsuits allege that social media use can worsen body-image problems in minors. They also claim it may aggravate disordered eating behaviors.

Specifically, algorithmic exposure to: 

• “Thinspiration” content 
• “Fitspiration” content
• Edited images
• Filters 
• Appearance-based comparisons 

Research cited in the lawsuit includes:

2020 Australian Study on Social Media Photos and Eating Disorders

We referenced this Australian study above. The study found appearance‑focused photo behaviors were tied to higher odds of meeting criteria for multiple eating disorders. Behaviors included: 

• Photo investment 
• Photo manipulation 
• Avoidance of posting selfies 
• Investment in others’ selfies

Study Published in the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute

This study found that browsing idealized Instagram images was associated with lower body appreciation. These effects were fully brought about by upward social comparison.

2021 Study of Instagram Image Effects on Women’s Self Esteem

Researchers found that viewing “thinspiration” and “fitspiration” images predicted lower self-esteem. This held true even in women who were at a healthy weight.

2017 Study on Social Comparison, Self-Esteem, and Social Media Use

The study concluded that passive social media is linked to upward social comparison and decreased self-evaluation. Lower self-esteem is associated with lower well-being. 

Study Examining Social Media Use and Early Adolescent Body Image

The study found that self-objectifying social-media behaviors were linked to greater body surveillance. They were also associated with increased body shame.

Study published in the National Library of Medicine

This study documents that eating disorders are prevalent in adolescents. They are highly impairing, and often tied to other mental health problems including suicidality. This evidence highlights youth vulnerability.

Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation

Families allege that some platforms’ algorithms can lead minors toward self-harm and suicidality.

Supporting research and public-health findings include:

2020 Australian Study on Social Media Photos and Eating Disorders

The same Australian study mentioned earlier found that certain selfie-related behaviors were linked to higher odds of eating-disorder symptoms. Eating disorders also carry an elevated suicide risk.

U.S. Surgeon General Advisory

The Surgeon General warns that certain platform design features and online exposures may increase risks for youth, including:

• Exposure to bullying
• Increased self-harm risk
• Intensified negative comparison

Indian Journal of Psychiatry

A review noted that adolescent exposure to self-harm content online can: 

• Normalize self-injury 
• Increase distress 
• Promote imitation behaviors

NYT Coverage of CDC Data

2021 New York Times coverage of CDC data show significant increases in suicidal thoughts among U.S. teen girls. With one in three seriously considering suicide.

Sleep Disruption & Academic Decline

Many complaints allege that late-night scrolling, compulsive checking, and continuous notifications disrupt sleep patterns and impair school performance.

Research shows a link between high social‑media use and increased sleep disruption.

Study on Social Media Use and Sleep Disturbance in Young Adults

Researchers found that heavy social media use was associated with nearly double the odds of sleep disturbance.

U.S. Surgeon General Advisory

The prior mentioned U.S. Surgeon General report mentioned sleep. Specifically, that digital technologies can “trade off with sleep.”

University of Rochester Medical Center

Teens need more sleep than adults. Teens are highly sensitive to sleep deprivation.

Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

According to the recommendations, lack of sleep is linked to 

• Impaired learning 
• Mood problems 
• Metabolic risk 
• Higher mental-health risk, including increased self-harm risk in some studies

Child Exploitation Risks

The lawsuit claims that disappearing messages and private messaging tools reduce oversight. It says these tools have been used in incidents involving grooming, sextortion, and drug sales.

Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Timeline & Related Events

What Evidence Helps Support a Social Media Addiction Claim?

Those considering joining the lawsuit must show both platform use and resulting harm. 

The following types of evidence are relevant for social media harm to youth claims.

Social Media Usage Records

Evidence of platform use can come from:

• Data about screen-time from phones, tablets and computers.
• App-usage logs, messaging histories, or timestamped activity records.
• Data exports from Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and other platforms.
• Evidence of late-night use, compulsive checking, or extended sessions.

These records help show the frequency, duration, and patterns of use. Showing how the product was used by the affected individual is very important. This is often central to addiction-related claims.

Medical, Psychological, or School Records

Documented medical, mental-health related or behavioral effects can strengthen a claim. These may include:

• Therapy notes, psychiatric assessments, doctor’s notes, or emergency-room visits.
• Diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, ADHD, or self-harm symptoms.
• School counseling records, disciplinary reports, and documented academic decline.
• Attendance drops, grade changes, or reports of social withdrawal.

These records do not prove causation by themselves, but they help show injury and impact.

Device Data, App Logs & Notifications

Electronic device evidence can show how the platform operated:

• Notification logs and alert frequency.
• Phone, tablet and computer activity timelines.
• Search history or in-app browsing patterns.
• Forensic imaging results.
• Evidence showing exposure to potentially harmful content.

This data can help show how the platform design features functioned in practice. It may also reveal what content was recommended or prompts the user was exposed to.

Expert Testimony & Behavioral Evidence

Expert opinions help connect usage patterns to behavioral changes. Some examples include:

• Psychologist diagnoses, assessing addiction-like symptoms or emotional impact.
• Digital‑safety or algorithm experts can assess a child’s exposure. They can investigate if the child saw harmful or inappropriate content. They can also determine if the platform pushed this content to the child or not.
• If documented, comparisons of the child’s behavior before vs. after increased platform use.
• Testimony on compulsive behavior, sleep disruption, or changes in functioning.

Experts help explain how the harms manifested or injuries developed.

How to File a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

Many families and individuals file through a lawyer. Most follow a structured process.

Below are the steps commonly involved in cases joining the Social Media Harm MDL.

Step 1 – Determine Eligibility

A lawyer will review whether the potential claim fits the criteria for the lawsuit. 

Key factors typically include:

• The age when social media use began, this should be when the affected individual was a minor.
• How long and how often the individual used the platform or platforms.
• If there is documentation of mental-health, behavioral, or academic harm.
• Whether the injuries match patterns alleged in the national litigation.

If the facts match allegations in the lawsuit, the attorney may recommend moving forward.

Step 2 – Gather Documentation & Evidence

Next, the attorney helps gather records showing platform use and related harm. These generally include:

• Social‑media logs and screen‑time data. Account exports from Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and other platforms.
• Medical and psychological records showing diagnoses, treatment, or hospitalizations.
• School records, counseling notes, or documentation of academic decline.
• Device data, notifications, or examples of harmful content (screenshots, saved messages etc).
• Statements from parents, therapists, teachers, or others who observed changes in behavior.

This evidence helps establish a timeline. It also shows how the platform’s use affected the minor.

Step 3 – File a Claim in the MDL

Social-media addiction cases that meet the necessary criteria will be filed in:

• MDL 3047 (the federal multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of California)

Cases involving minors generally receive confidentiality protections. This means medical records and identifying information are filed under seal as required.

Statute of Limitations for Social Media Addiction Claims

Deadlines for filing a lawsuit vary by state, but most range from 1-6 years. Many states “toll” the statute of limitations in cases involving minors. This usually extends the deadline until age 18. 

The timeline often begins when harm is discovered, not when the minor starts using the platform. Parents don’t need to rush. But over time, platforms may delete logs or devices may overwrite data. This can make evidence harder to preserve.

Free Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Evaluation

Note: Fill out the form or call to see if legal options may be available. Inquiries may be shared with a partner law firm under a marketing arrangement. The partner may assist with next steps.

Were you or a loved one affected by social media platform use as a minor? You may be eligible to pursue legal action, depending on your specific situation. A lawyer can evaluate your potential claim. You can request a free case review here.