Can I Sue Instagram?

Who May Be Able to Sue Instagram?

Determining if one can sue Instagram will depend on the facts of their situation. In social media youth mental health lawsuits, certain groups may be able to bring claims. This may include:

1. Parents or legal guardians of harmed minors

In cases where their child experienced documented mental-health harm after heavy Instagram use.

2. Adults harmed as minors

Young adults who used Instagram heavily as minors and later developed mental-health conditions. The age range is roughly 18-25.

3. School districts

Some districts have pursued claims seeking compensation. They report higher levels of:

• Mental-health support needs,
• Disciplinary disruptions, and
• School-related impacts involving student social media use.

Why Are People Suing Instagram?

People are suing Instagram, they allege it uses features that may lead to addictive use among minors.

About Instagram

Before discussing lawsuits against Instagram, it may be helpful to review what Instagram is.

Instagram was launched in 2010 as a photo-sharing app. It was acquired by Meta for $1 billion in 2012.

Instagram grew fast. They reached 2 billion monthly users by 2022 and 3 billion by 2025. In 2020, they launched their Reels feature, which marked a shift toward short form video.

Instagram’s Features

The platform features on Instagram are centered mostly around mobile photo and video sharing. This includes:

• Likes
• Comments
• Private messaging
• Stories
• Reels, and
• Augmented reality filters

How Lawsuits Describe Instagram Youth Mental Health Concerns

People bringing lawsuits say that certain Instagram features may expose minors to:

• Harmful content,
• Increase social comparison, and
• Worsen body-image concerns

Some Notable Legal Actions and Reporting

In 2024, 42 U.S. states and the District of Columbia sued Meta. They alleged youth addiction and related harms tied to Instagram.

Additionally, the BBC reported on statements from social media industry insiders. These insiders claimed that social media companies focused on maximizing user engagement.

Alleged Harmful Design Features on Instagram

Youth harm lawsuits involving Instagram involve allegations around their platform design elements. People suing say these design elements may contribute to harmful use among minors.

Explore and Reels algorithm

The algorithm recommends content based on prior behavior. Lawsuits describe viewing loops that young users may struggle to exit.

Infinite scroll

Content loads continuously without clear stopping points. People bringing lawsuits say this may encourage prolonged use.

Likes and follower counts

For young users, visible metrics may allegedly increase social comparison and validation-seeking behaviors.

Beauty filters

Filters that alter appearance may allegedly intensify body-image concerns and self-comparison behaviors.

Push notifications

Alerts may allegedly prompt frequent checking of the app. This may allegedly reinforce heavy use patterns.

What Health Research Shows

Now, let’s look at scientific research that people suing say supports allegations.

In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General advisory warned about social media use among minors. The warning said many social media designs focus on engagement maximization. This may expose teens to certain harms. These harms may include depression, anxiety, sleep problems, eating-disorder concerns, and self-harm.

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry of youths aged 12-15 is also included as evidence. The study found that spending three or more hours on social media per day increased risks. The risks that increased were for developing mental-health problems.

A review in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry looked at minors and self harm content. They found that teens may encounter self harm content on social networks. Their research indicates that exposure to such content may be followed by harmful behaviors in teens. They also found that exposure to such content is linked to distress and suicidal ideation.

People bringing lawsuits also point to research from the field of neuroscience. That specific research showed that unpredictable rewards trigger dopamine responses. Dopamine responses can reinforce repeated checking behaviors. Examples of unpredictable rewards from social platforms are variable likes and notifications.

Lastly, researchers use tools to measure social media addiction. One such tool is called the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. This scale identifies six symptoms of social media addiction. These symptoms are tolerance, withdrawal, conflict, preoccupation, mood modification, and relapse.

How Instagram Use May Harm Young People

Reported harms linked to heavy Instagram use include:

• Depression,
• Anxiety,
• Eating disorders,
• Body-image issues,
• ADHD symptom worsening (as alleged in some claims),
• Sleep problems,
• Self-harm or suicidal thoughts, (as alleged in some cases)
• Academic decline, and
• Social withdrawal

According to the American Phycological Association:

• U.S. teens spend an average of about 4.8 hours per day on social media.
• Instagram accounts for a significant share of the time teens spend on social media.
• Teens with the highest usage levels are more likely to report:
  • Poor mental health,
  • Suicidal thoughts or self-harm, and
  • Negative body image

Potential contributing factors discussed in lawsuits include:

• Social comparison,
• Exposure to harmful content,
• Night-time use that disrupts sleep,
• Fear of missing out, and
• Pressure from notifications

Media reports say internal Meta research reportedly showed:

• Worsened body image for one in three teen girls, and
• Links between Instagram use and:
  • Suicidal thoughts,
  • Anxiety,
  • Depression, and
  • Insecurity

Additional studies have linked social media use to:

• Body-image internalization, and
• Dieting behaviors

Research has also examined associations between selfie engagement and eating-disorder symptoms.

Winder Law Firm is gathering information from individuals with potential legal claims who have been diagnosed with certain health conditions. Inquiries may be shared with a partner firm under a marketing arrangement.

Core Allegations in the Lawsuits

Design-Defect Allegations

Claims that Instagram used engagement-maximizing features. These features are alleged to encourage compulsive use in minors.

Failure-to-Warn Allegations

Claims that the company did not adequately warn parents or minors about alleged risks.

Negligence Allegations

Claims that Meta offered:

• Poor parental controls,
• Weak or easily bypassed age verification,
• Limited safety protections, and
• Algorithms that may expose minors to harmful content

How to Sue Instagram for Youth Mental Health Harm

Some families are asking, how can I sue Instagram, or how to file a lawsuit against Instagram. They usually follow a process focused on eligibility review.

Steps may include:

• Contacting a social media harm attorney
• Providing platform-usage history and mental-health records
• A lawyer reviewing eligibility
• If applicable, the case may be filed individually and coordinated within MDL 3047

Some people also ask, can I sue instagram for emotional distress? This depends on documented harm and individual circumstances.

Get a Free Instagram 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.

Thinking about suing Instagram over youth mental health harm? A free evaluation may help clarify your options.

Check eligibility here

or

Get a free case evaluation here.