UK Social Media Ban for Under-16s: What You Need to Know

a graphic that announces the UK's ban on social for children under 16

The United Kingdom has announced a historic ban on social media for children under 16. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “a line in the sand”—a watershed moment in the global effort to protect young people from the documented harms of social media platforms. Here’s what you need to know about the law, when it […]

A Mother’s Voice at Meta’s Shareholders Meeting: Selena Rodriguez’s Story

Tammy Rodriguez Quote from recording played at Meta Shareholders Meeting

When Tammy Rodriguez stood before Meta’s shareholders earlier this year, she was not there as a plaintiff or a policy advocate. She was there as a mother. Her daughter, Selena, was 11 years old when she died by suicide on July 21, 2021 — the foreseeable result, her family’s lawsuit alleges, of Instagram’s dangerously defective […]

Laura Marquez-Garrett Featured in WIRED

a photo of Attorney Laura Marquez-Garrett from WIRED

Photograph: Vince Perry JR. The Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) is recognizing Laura Marquez-Garrett’s recent profile in WIRED, which highlights her ongoing work to hold technology companies accountable and further SMVLC’s mission of creating safer online environments for children and other vulnerable users. Marquez-Garrett has played a leading role in litigation against major technology […]

Matthew P. Bergman Advises UK Government on Social Media Issues

a photo of Matthew P. Bergman in the UK

Photograph by Andy Hall for The Observer Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) founding attorney Matthew P. Bergman met with British officials in early April to discuss how social media platforms can drive compulsive use and harm mental health, particularly among children and teenagers. Bergman recently helped secure a $6 million verdict in a Los […]

Matthew P. Bergmans Full Testimony on Section 230 to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

photo of matthew p. bergman giving testimony before congress on section 230

Matthew P. Bergmans Opening Testimony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jOOQGSzC1w U.S. Senator Schatz to Matthew P. Bergman: “How Do Companies View Section 230?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8T5vCmlHmA U.S. Senator Klobuchar to Matthew P. Bergman: “How Has Section 230 Shut the Courthouse Door to So Many Parents Seeking Justice for Their Kids?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8T5vCmlHmA U.S. Senator Schmitt to Matthew P. Bergman: “Since Section 230 […]

Meta and YouTube Held Responsible for Harm to Vulnerable Users in First-of-Its-Kind Trial

Meta and YouTube held responsible for harm to vulnerable users in first of its kind trial

A California jury has delivered a significant verdict against Meta and YouTube, awarding a total of $6 million in damages to a plaintiff who alleged that prolonged exposure to social media platforms during childhood contributed to serious mental health harm. The award includes $3 million in compensatory damages and an additional $3 million in punitive […]