Social Media’s Impact on Young People
Between 2007 and 2021, the suicide rate among Americans aged 10 to 24 rose by nearly two-thirds, with groups like LGBTQ youth hit hardest. Depression rates also spiked sharply. More than half of U.S. teens spend at least four hours a day checking social media, addicted to the unpredictable but reliable dopamine hits these platforms provide.
Countless social media addiction lawsuits have been filed against platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and their parent companies in recent years. The suits come from all angles, including bereaved parents mourning the loss of their children to suicide, school districts watching grades and engagement crash, municipalities struggling to finance youth mental health programs, and more than 40 state Attorneys General seeking legal avenues toward high-level accountability.
Though research is still progressing, data shows that social media addiction is inherently harmful to young people, heavily contributing to a widespread youth mental health crisis.
One teenage victim, Anna, whose parents were interviewed by The New Yorker, gradually spent more and more time on her phone, creating secret accounts and withdrawing from reality. She eventually shot herself. Her mother discovered that her social media feeds were full of content about suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.
Another teenager, C.J., had an undeniably bright future but eventually shot himself after an emotional spiral triggered by social media. He posted about his own death twice soon before taking his life.
Lack of Concern from Social Media Companies
In almost every industry, companies can be held responsible for the harm they cause and are subject to regulatory constraints. The rules bend for social media. These platforms often use Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act as a “get-out-of-jail free card,” according to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Section 230 limits social media companies’ responsibility for content on their platforms created by third-party users.
The lawsuits against these companies challenge Section 230, arguing that the companies are using the legal loophole to create algorithms that feed content to young people that negatively affects their mental health. If the content is good for engagement, the algorithms actively promote it, regardless of the harm it could cause. Even when platforms like Instagram make minor improvements, such as adding the ability to make accounts private, the underlying algorithms remain.
Harvard researchers estimate that in 2022, social media platforms generated almost $11 billion in revenue from children and teens. A leaked email from Facebook parent company Meta, quoted in one lawsuit, declares that “the lifetime value of a 13 y/o teen is roughly $270 per teen.”
Fighting for Children and Teens
After a successful career in mesothelioma litigation, Matt Bergman founded the Social Media Victims Law Center in 2021 to focus on the harm caused by social media. He targets social media algorithms that feed dangerous content to young users vulnerable to suicidal tendencies and other mental health conditions.
“Often, the link between the child’s social media use and their harm is irrefutable,” Bergman said. His clients, mostly families of children harmed by social media, seek justice and accountability.
The SMVLC works tirelessly to build strong claims on behalf of our clients, challenging ineffective features like parental controls to hold social media companies liable for the harm they inflict on vulnerable users. If social media harmed your child, we can help you fight back. Contact us today for a free, confidential case evaluation.
