Instagram Eating Disorder Lawsuit

Instagram Addiction and Youth Harm Overview

The following background explains how Instagram became central to eating-disorder-related youth harm claims.

About Instagram

Instagram allows users to share photos and videos. Teens and young adults are among the most active users.

Images, short videos and stories drive most activity. Likes comments and follower counts play a large role in visibility.

Content is ranked by automated systems. These systems favor posts that draw visual attention and focus on appearance.

Alleged Harmful Design Features on Instagram

Lawsuits allege that certain Instagram features were associated with eating disorder risk for minors. The claims focus on how young users see and repeat content.

Algorithmic feeds are alleged to amplify dieting and appearance focused posts. Lawsuits allege that likes and follower counts are tied to comparison and body image validation.

Appearance altering filters are also included in the claims. These tools are alleged to promote unrealistic beauty standards. According to the lawsuits, infinite scroll extends exposure by removing stopping points. Push notifications are alleged to reinforce repeated use.

BBC reporting includes claims made by industry insiders. They say social media companies build apps to maximize engagement.

What Is Social Media Addiction?

“Social media addiction” is not necessarily recognized by every diagnostic manual. Health experts often use this phrase to describe compulsive use that interferes with daily routines.

Affected users may struggle to stop scrolling. Some feel anxious or distressed when offline. Others place Instagram use ahead of sleep, school, or physical health.

Alleged Mental Health Effects of Social Media Use

Youth harm lawsuits allege that platforms built around engagement contributed to harm. Claims referencing eating disorder exposure on Instagram connect heavy use with body dissatisfaction.

The lawsuits also allege:

• Restrictive eating,
• Bingeing,
• Purging, and
• Anxiety related to weight and appearance

Social Media Use and Eating Disorders

The Mayo Clinic describes eating disorders as serious medical and mental health conditions. These conditions affect how people think about food and body weight. The Mayo Clinic warns that eating disorders can cause severe physical harm if left untreated. In some cases, they can be fatal. Mayo Clinic also links eating disorders to:

• Depression,
• Anxiety,
• Self harm, and
• Suicidal thoughts.

Cleveland Clinic reports that social media exposure can trigger unhealthy relationships with food. Psychologists cited by Cleveland Clinic link social media use to body dissatisfaction. Cleveland Clinic also reports a higher risk of disordered eating behaviors with greater exposure. These behaviors include binge eating, purging, severe restriction, and orthorexia. Cleveland Clinic notes that risk appears higher for women. This is due to appearance based comparison.

What Health Research Shows

Public health research has examined links between social media use, body image, and eating disorders.

• A U.S. Surgeon General advisory warned about youth social media use. It said engagement maximizing designs may expose teens to mental health risks. The advisory lists depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, eating disorder concerns, and self harm.
• A study published in JAMA Psychiatry examined youth ages twelve to fifteen. The study linked more than three hours of daily social media use to higher mental health risk. It also linked heavy use to depression and anxiety.
• A review in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry looked into youth and certain content. It found that adolescents can encounter self harm content. The review linked increased exposure to psychological distress and suicidal ideation.
• Neuroscience research shows that unpredictable rewards can trigger dopamine responses. Examples include variable likes, notifications, and feedback. Researchers link these responses to compulsive checking and persistent use.
• The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale is sometimes used to identify problematic use. The scale looks at symptoms such as:
  • Preoccupation,
  • Mood modification,
  • Tolerance,
  • Withdrawal,
  • Conflict, and
  • Relapse

Claims About Instagram Use and Youth Harm

Lawsuits describe reported harms linked to heavy Instagram use by minors. These reports include the development or worsening of eating disorders. Extreme dieting, restriction, and purging behaviors are described. Body image dissatisfaction appears in the claims.

Depression and anxiety are also included among reported harms. Some claims include self harm or suicidal thoughts. Sleep disruption and academic decline are reported as well.

Researchers cite appearance based comparison as one contributing factor. Algorithmic amplification of thin ideal content is also cited. Infinite scroll is described as increasing exposure, with added pressure from likes and comments.

Lawsuits allege that recommendation systems were linked to increased exposure to eating disorder content. The claims describe worsened body image issues among teenage girls.

Instagram Specific Allegations

To summarize the core allegation according to the lawsuits:

Meta continued developing Instagram in ways that allegedly encouraged addiction among minors. This occurred despite internal and external warnings.

Some design-defect features alleged:

• Infinite scroll and algorithm driven recommendation feeds. It is alleged that these features keep teens engaged for longer time periods.
• Likes, follower counts, and social-comparison metrics. These features allegedly trigger constant checking and feelings of inadequacy.
• Filters and appearance-altering tools that are alleged to worsen issues with body-image.
• Push notifications and intermittent reward loops that encourage compulsive use.
• Design choices that make logging off harder for young users.

Knowledge of teen harm

According to the Wall Street Journal, internal Meta research allegedly showed:

• Instagram worsened body-image issues for 1 in 3 teen girls who already struggled.
• Over 40% of teens who felt unattractive said that feeling began on Instagram.
• Around 20% of teens felt Instagram made them feel worse about themselves.
• Some teens reported increased anxiety, depression, social comparison, and friendship insecurity.
• Among teens surveyed with suicidal thoughts who could trace them back to instagram:
  • 13% of British teens
  • 6% of U.S. teens
• Meta researchers concluded a heightened risk existed for vulnerable youth. They said Instagram’s features can “interact to create a perfect storm”.

Supporting academic research referenced in filings

• A 2014 study looked at girls ages 10-12 who spent more time on image-based platforms. They exhibited lower body esteem and more dieting.
• A 2020 Australian study looked at selfies and eating disorders. They found heavy engagement with others’ selfies was associated with symptoms of
  • Bulimia nervosa,
  • Binge-eating disorder, and
  • Night eating syndrome.

Main Allegations in the Lawsuits

Design-Defect Allegations

At issue are Instagram features. Such features that allegedly:

• Kept users coming back, and
• Repeatedly surfaced appearance-based dieting content.

Failure-to-Warn Allegations

Claims that Meta did not adequately warn families about risks. Risks such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and self-harm.

Negligence Allegations

These center on allegations including:

• Weak parental controls,
• Ineffective age verification,
• Limited safety protections, and
• Algorithms that allegedly promoted eating-disorder content to minors.

How to File an Instagram Eating Disorder Lawsuit

Potential Compensation for Instagram Eating Disorder Lawsuits

Get a Free Instagram Addiction Case Review

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