Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
Social media can be bad for teens. It can hurt their sleep, school, and friendships. It can also make them feel bad about themselves. Don’t let this happen to your child. Help fight these companies. Get a free case review and join the lawsuit.
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Social Media Lawsuit Updates
The social media addiction lawsuit is developing monthly, and staying up-to-date is essential.
Here are some updates:
What is Social Media Addiction?
At this time, there’s no official diagnosis for social media addiction, but excessive use has been increasing among users.
Social media platforms now contain various things to enjoy, from funny pictures to engaging videos. Over the last decade, the popularity of using social media platforms to kill time has increased significantly, especially among children and teenagers. Young and middle-aged adults also fill a part of this intensive user pool.
All types of behavioral addictions negatively affect the brain. When you use social media excessively, it’s easy to become accustomed to scrolling through the content repeatedly, which may affect other areas of your life. This seemingly harmless activity may mess with the brain’s way of perceiving pleasure and reward.
Similar to addictive drugs, online content can trigger the release of dopamine, a pleasure chemical in the brain. This is why it’s highly possible to get addicted to scrolling social media.
How Can Social Media Be So Addictive for Teens?
The more someone engages with social media content, the more dopamine the brain releases. Like all addictions, the brain craves more dopamine once there are no stimuli. This leads to people spending more time each day to get more dopamine, but tolerance will follow.
The amount of stimuli needed for someone to feel the same pleasure will increase. Slowly, dependence forms, and the user will feel the need to engage with these platforms to feel normal. If they keep going, it’ll lead to addiction.
If you’re concerned about your children’s internet use, several aspects are contributing to why addiction is common among teens. The brain’s second most significant period of growth is during adolescence. Teens’ brains and social skills will develop rapidly, making them highly susceptible to social media appeal.
When teenagers use social media excessively, their brains will constantly seek instant gratification, leading to addictive behaviors. This is also one of the reasons why they can quickly develop mental health disorders from obsessive use.
Parents must know that adolescents using social media platforms from a very young age are more vulnerable to developing addictions. Parents or guardians with young children must pay attention to their behavior, especially when they’re starting to spend too much time on their screen.
Social media addiction lawsuit alleges harmful effects on mental health. #SocialMediaAddiction #Lawsuit #MentalHealth
What are the Side Effects of Social Media Addiction?
Social media addiction can affect many aspects of your children’s lives. Depending on how severe the addiction is, below are some of the most common side effects.
Sleep Deprivation
Surveys have shown that Americans generally check their phones approximately 344 times daily. Some addicted teens tend to sleep close to their phones so they can check the device, even if they have to wake up in the middle of the night.
Sleep deprivation can cause various mental health issues, leading to depression, anxiety, psychological distress, aggression, and long-term mental illness. It can also cause difficulty in concentrating, hyperactivity, and nervousness. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends only up to two hours of social media usage per day for optimal sleep quality.
Neglect of Real-World Matters
Addicted users tend to prioritize their online relationships. They leave behind their real-life responsibilities and relationships. There’s a compulsive need to regularly check or respond to notifications. As a result, they’re distracted from fulfilling their responsibilities.
Lowering Academic Performance
Research has shown that social media addiction significantly decreases user’s academic performance. This is likely due to the prioritization of online engagement over study obligation or a side effect of sleep deprivation.
Relationship
Teens and young adults who are addicted to social media tend to displace their real-life connections with the relationships they have online. They constantly need to check the notifications on their phone screens, even when conversing with someone else in real life.
Many adolescents focus on measuring up to things shown on the internet. They do many things solely to obtain materials to post on their page. This takes away from real-life experience. They’ll focus on taking pictures with social media standards without experiencing the activities.
Decreasing Self-Esteem
Social media allows users to heavily edit their pictures and videos, making it easy to craft content that shows the perfect life, achievements, or looks. The more young people look at these edited posts, the more they question their worth. This drives them to feel the need to belong and makes them feel unattractive and outclassed.
Decreased self-confidence tends to be followed by isolation. People with reduced self-esteem usually struggle with their identity. Most try to hide behind their virtual identity due to a lack of confidence.
What are the Most Addictive Social Media Platforms?
The Recovery Center of Niagara researched which platform its respondents feel the most addicted to. Here are the top five platforms.
- Facebook: Despite having new competitors, Facebook is still the most addictive, with 63% of respondents choosing it.
- Instagram: Instagram follows Facebook, with 40% of respondents feeling addicted to it.
- Snapchat: 36% of respondents chose Snapchat as the platform they’re most addicted to.
- Twitter (X): The fast-paced microblogging app comes fourth with 32% of users.
- TikTok: The short-video app is fifth, with 28% feeling addicted to TikTok.
Who Is Eligible for Filing a Lawsuit?
Someone is eligible to file a lawsuit if they’re showing signs of addiction. This includes users who have been suffering from physical or psychological harm caused by social media usage. The impacted user must be under the age of 25 when they started experiencing the symptoms.
Parents with children suffering from physical or mental distress from using social media platforms may also file a lawsuit on behalf of their children.
If you want to be sure of your eligibility, get our free consultation and let us help you examine your case.
The Defendants
The defendant differs depending on the social media platform. Here’s a list of major defendants based on the platform.
META Entities
- Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook, Inc..)
- Facebook Operations, LLC.
- Siculus, Inc.
- Facebook Payments, Inc.
- Instagram, LLC.
Snap Chat
- Snap Chat Inc.
Tiktok Entities
- TikTok Inc.
- TikTok LLC.
- TikTok Ltd.
- ByteDance Inc.
- ByteDance Ltd.
Google Entities
- YouTube LLC.
- Google LLC
Filing a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
The first bellwether trial is scheduled to start in October 2025. If you believe your child is a victim of social media addiction, you can begin by seeking a knowledgeable legal representative.
Having an expert on your side can significantly increase your success rate. You can also start by getting a free consultation like the one we offer before filing your lawsuit. Once you’re ready, you and your attorney can work together to prepare the case. This is the general process of filing an addiction lawsuit.
- First consult the legal team to ensure you’re eligible to file a lawsuit.
- With the help of your attorney and legal team, you must find evidence to support your claim and develop your case.
- Once you have your proof ready, file a lawsuit within the set legal deadline.
- Negotiate settlements with the charged entities.
- Pursue a verdict in court.
Social Media Lawsuit Settlement and Payout Amounts
The settlement and payout amount differ depending on the severity of the case. Lawsuits, especially against big companies, are still proceeding, so settlement amounts are still speculative.
With the right attorney on your side, ask for the speculated amount based on your child’s situation. However, here’s an overview of how much the settlement may be according to the case’s fatality.
High-Value Settlements
The highest amount of settlement is usually for a case involving teen suicides. Wrongful death claims on teenagers typically result in higher settlement amounts for the affected family’s financial and emotional losses. If the case favors the plaintiffs, settlement amounts can range from $900,000 to $3 million for one case. If it goes to trial, it’s also possible for the compensation to reach tens of millions.
Moderate Settlements
Cases with severe yet non-fatal injuries like self-harm, long-term mental health issues, eating disorders, or similar side effects might receive moderate settlements. If the case proceeds in the favor of the plaintiff, they can expect to see a settlement worth $300,000 to $900,000. The exact number depends on the duration or severity of the harm. Cases involving severe depression, anxiety, or other similar mental health issues could see a $150,000 to $450,000 settlement.
Low-Value Settlements
Cases with milder injuries, including temporary emotional distress or mental health issues, will have lower settlement amounts. When proceedings go in the plaintiff’s favor, settlements can range from $30,000 to $150,000. This is often the case if the injury doesn’t require ongoing treatments.
How Can Law karma Help?
We understand that every parent wants justice from companies that harm their children. This is why having the right attorney to help you get the best outcome is crucial for your lawsuit.
Lawkarma helps clients connect to the best attorneys who are experts in social media addiction lawsuits. We also offer other benefits that you might be interested in if you’re planning to file a lawsuit:
- Get free expert advice to ensure you know what you must prepare for the best possible outcome
- Find the best attorney who suits your case best.
- You’ll only have to pay legal fees when you win.
Having the right attorney can make a big difference to your legal proceedings. So, don’t hesitate to To get a Free Case Review for our lawsuit. Lawkarma will help you find the justice you deserve.
FAQs About the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
This FAQ section provides answers to common questions about social media addiction lawsuits. Learn more about your legal rights and options.
Can Parents Sue Social Media Companies if a Child is Addicted?
Parents are allowed to file a social media addiction lawsuit if they find their child harmed by social media addiction.
Are Social Media Platforms Harmful to Youth?
Browsing social media contents release dopamine, which can be addictive when enjoyed excessively. With the platforms implementing ads and addicting algorithms, most may have a degree of harm when used too often.
How Much is the Instagram Lawsuit Settlement?
Settlement amounts depend on the severity of the case. Instagram lawsuits may pay $10,000 to $5 million or higher.
What are the potential legal grounds for a social media addiction lawsuit?
Lawsuits against social media companies often focus on negligence, product liability, or unfair trade practices. Plaintiffs may argue that the companies failed to adequately warn users about the risks of addiction, designed platforms to be intentionally addictive, or targeted vulnerable users with harmful content.
Can I file a social media addiction lawsuit if I am a minor?
Minors can generally file lawsuits through their legal guardians. If you are a minor and believe you have been harmed by social media addiction, it is important to speak with an attorney who specializes in this area of law.