Social Media Addiction Lawsuits
As more information about the potential harm to young people from the use of social media sites comes to light, social media lawsuits continue to rise. At Cutter Law, our skilled legal team is at the forefront of lawsuits against big corporations, like Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat, for social media addiction in children and teens.
After a bombshell leak by an employee-turned-whistleblower from Facebook alleging knowledge of the potential for addiction in young people from using their platforms, parents are starting to fight back.
Emerging social media addiction lawsuits claim that companies like Meta, the owner of popular social media sites Facebook and Instagram, purposefully implemented algorithms and other specific features designed to addict users to their platforms, despite their knowledge of the potential negative effects of addiction.
If you or your child have suffered harm from social media addiction, our California personal injury lawyers can help you understand your options. We will help you hold these corporations accountable and provide experienced legal representation every step of the way. We offer free consultations, and there is no fee unless we win.
Quick Links
- Why Cutter Law Is The Best Choice for Your Social Media Lawsuit
- The Emergence of Social Media Addiction Lawsuits
- What is social media addiction?
- What are people claiming in their social media addiction lawsuits?
- Who is eligible to file a social media addiction claim?
- How much is my social media addiction case worth?
- How to File a Social Media Lawsuit
- Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Frequently Asked Questions
Why Cutter Law Is The Best Choice for Your Social Media Lawsuit
At Cutter Law, we take harm to children personally. For too long, these social media giants have put profits over the safety of the children using their platforms every day. We have the experience and resources to help you hold these companies accountable for any harm caused to you or your children. Our injury lawyers will aggressively pursue the damages you deserve.
We have a long history of fighting against large companies and have recovered hundreds of millions in cases against corporations. We know what it takes and are willing to go to trial to hold these social media companies accountable for the harm they caused you.
Our previous results speak for themselves. In the past, we have won:
- $240 million settlement in a nationwide defective medical device case against Boston Scientific and Guidant
- $7.6 million medical malpractice jury verdict on behalf of a young victim who suffered a spinal cord injury
- $23.5 million whistleblower settlement for government fraud claims against Medtronic Inc
- $1.895 million jury verdict for a cyclist who received serious injuries
Our results are impressive, but the people we have helped speak louder than our accolades. We have been honored to assist our deserving clients in their fight for justice, and we are humbled by their praise and willingness to share their experiences.
The Emergence of Social Media Addiction Lawsuits
For years, social media companies have fought against regulations and downplayed the potential for harm, especially to children. And, until recently, regulators have been slow to respond. However, we are now seeing legislators pushing for new regulations in 2023. We are also starting to see lawsuits against social media companies for physical and psychological harm to children emerge and gain traction.
The basis for lawsuits against Snapchat and other social media apps like Meta and TikTok is grounded in allegations that the companies deliberately encourage addiction through their platforms’ algorithms despite knowing the effects of addiction to their products on users.
Facebook Whistleblower and Social Media Lawsuits
One of the reasons we are starting to see lawsuits against Meta and other social media apps become more prevalent is the testimony of Frances Haugen, a former data scientist at Facebook. Haugen became a whistleblower when she told a Congressional hearing that the company had conducted studies showing the negative impact on children.
According to one of these studies, 13.5% of teen girls in the U.K. reported that their suicidal thoughts became more frequent after starting to use Instagram. Another study showed that Instagram made problematic social media use and the mental health of the teens surveyed worse.
What is social media addiction?
Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction that comes from the release of dopamine by the brain’s reward system. When engaging with social media, whether through likes or comments, the brain releases dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical along reward pathways. Once the chemical is released, it also reinforces the need to seek out that feeling again.
Teens are especially susceptible to this motivation, reward, and reinforcement loop because they are at a critical point of growth during adolescence. Although adults also experience activation in the brain’s reward center, adolescents are still developing their sense of self, which is heavily impacted by feedback from their peers. Teens are also likely to spend several hours on social media daily, increasing the likelihood of social media addiction and negative effects on mental health.
Related: The Connection Between Cyberbullying and Social Media
What are people claiming in their social media addiction lawsuits?
The basis for a recent multi-district litigation against multiple social media sites centers around the claim that these platforms are defective because algorithms used by the platforms were specifically designed to maximize screen time among adolescents, which can lead to addiction, causing a range of self-destructive behavior and mental health issues.
Parents are identifying addiction through the negative impacts of social media, such as overuse in daily life, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. The lawsuits claim that these companies were aware of the risk and failed to warn users. Additionally, lawsuits claim that social media companies failed to protect young, vulnerable, and at-risk users despite knowing the potential for harm.
Who is eligible to file a social media addiction claim?
While it’s clear that social media addiction has caused harm to countless users, not everyone qualifies to file this type of lawsuit. You may be eligible to file a lawsuit for social media addiction if:
- You or your child may be addicted to social media, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat
- You or your child suffered physical or mental harm as a result of the addiction
- You or your child were under the age of 25 when the addiction started
If you think you qualify to file a social media lawsuit or were harmed by addiction to a social media site, call us today for your free consultation. We will walk through the specific criteria for filing a case and help you better understand the legal options available to you.
How much is my social media addiction case worth?
Determining how much compensation you can expect from your social media addiction lawsuit can be challenging. No two cases are the same, and specific factors can impact your case value. However, a wide range of damages is available to victims of social media addiction.
Depending on the facts of your case, you may be eligible for both economic damages and non-economic damages. These damages may include compensation for:
- Past and future medical and mental health treatment
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Additionally, these cases may result in punitive damages, designed to punish companies for willful and wanton disregard for their users’ well-being and their inexcusable decisions to prioritize profits over people.
How to File a Social Media Lawsuit
While pursuing a case against massive corporations like Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat may seem overwhelming, the injury attorneys at Cutter Law are here to help. We will handle every step of your case as your legal representative and advocate, including:
- Analyze your claim for its potential success
- Handle the document preparation and filing
- Ensure you meet any deadlines that may apply
- Plead your case in court
- Negotiate settlement offers
- Advise you on your legal options
While you are not required to hire a social media lawsuit attorney, there are numerous advantages to hiring qualified legal representation. To get started on your lawsuit, call Cutter Law today for your free consultation.
Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Frequently Asked Questions
The following are common questions about social media addiction lawsuits and our answers. A personal injury lawyer can provide personalized answers to your questions if a social media addiction has harmed you or a loved one.
What is a social media addiction lawsuit?
A social media lawsuit is aimed at social media companies, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, for their role in purposefully using algorithms that promote social media addiction.
These lawsuits allege that the companies knew that their algorithms caused addiction and negatively impacted their user base, yet they proceeded to implement them anyway.
Who is most likely to suffer from a social media addiction?
The current class action lawsuit centers around social media addiction and teenagers. Reports suggest that this addiction is most common among young people and adolescents.
How many hours of social media is considered an addiction?
Teens using social media more than three hours per day may be at a higher risk for mental health problems. Since the pandemic, more teens have experienced depression and anxiety, as well as specific issues with low self-esteem, body image, disordered eating, and suicidal thoughts.
Who can sue for social media addiction?
If you or your loved one suffers from psychological or physical harm due to their social media addiction or compulsion, you may be able to sue.
Contact Cutter Law to schedule a free consultation for your potential social media addiction lawsuit.
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