Social Media Addiction Statistics (2026)
Social media use remains widespread among U.S. teens, with recent research showing that many use these platforms frequently or almost constantly. Many teens also say they spend more time on social media than they believe they should. However, frequent use alone does not mean a teen is addicted. Understanding the difference between heavy use and […]
Kaley Glenn-Mills’ TIME100 Next Honor Gives Hope to Families Harmed by Social Media
Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) is honored to congratulate our client, Kaley Glenn-Mills, on being named to the TIME100 Next 2026 list of the world’s most influential rising stars. Kaley was only 20 when she stood up in a Los Angeles courtroom and testified about how social media addiction affected her mental health, beginning […]
Cychlorphine Warning: A Deadlier Opioid Is Hiding in Fake Pills Sold on Social Media
A new synthetic opioid called cychlorphine is behind a sharp rise in poisoning deaths across the country, and it’s being sold to kids and young adults on social media. It’s estimated to be ten times stronger than fentanyl, and fentanyl test strips can’t detect it. Here’s what parents need to know, and what to tell […]
Meta Agrees to $17.1 Billion Settlement With State Attorneys General Over Child Safety
Meta has agreed to pay up to $17.1 billion under a proposed settlement that would impose changes on how Instagram and Facebook operate for teen users in participating jurisdictions. Announced Aug. 26 by a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general, the agreement brought a child-safety trial to an end during its second week. If approved, […]
Meta Ordered to Pay $942 Million in New Mexico for Harming Kids : What This Means for Families
A New Mexico court just delivered one of the biggest blows yet to Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram. The court ordered Meta to pay $567 million to help young people who were hurt by its platforms. Combined with an earlier $375 million penalty from March, Meta now owes New Mexico $942 million total. […]
While the World Bans Kids from Social Media, the US Falls Behind — and Families Are Left to Fight Alone
A small dog named Draco spends his days watching for signs that his owner, 24-year-old Alexis Spence, might harm herself. He was trained to intervene during panic attacks and self-harm episodes — a direct legacy of the mental health crisis Alexis says began when she opened her first Instagram account at age 11, two years […]
Matthew Bergman Recognized in The Trial Lawyer Magazine for Pioneering Social Media Accountability Litigation
Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) founder Matthew P. Bergman was recently profiled in The Trial Lawyer magazine, which credited him with building the legal framework now used to hold social media companies accountable for the harm their products cause children and teens. The feature, written by Executive Editor Sara G. Stephens, traces the decade-long […]
Matthew P. Bergman Makes Statement on Social Media Victims Remembrance Day
Statement from Matthew P. Bergman, Founding Attorney, Social Media Victims Law Center “Today, on Social Media Victims Remembrance Day, we honor children whose lives were cut short because social media companies put profit and engagement ahead of basic safety. For the families standing here, this day is not symbolic — it is a reminder of […]
Matthew Bergman Visits London to Advise UK Leaders on Online Safety and Child Protection
Last week, Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) founding attorney Matthew P. Bergman visited London for a series of high-profile meetings to discuss his recent submission to the UK government’s consultation, Growing Up in the Online World: A National Consultation. The consultation takes submissions from members of the public and industry to inform government policy, […]