A mother in Connecticut is currently suing Snapchat and Meta (the parent company of Instagram and Facebook) following the suicide of her 11-year-old daughter, Selena Rodriguez, last July. According to the Social Media Victims’ Law Center, Selena suffered from an extreme addiction to social media and fell into a depression after sexually explicit images of her were leaked to classmates.
The lawsuit alleges that these companies failed to provide adequate safeguards against harmful content and cites “defective design, negligence, and unreasonably dangerous features” within their products. While Meta has not yet responded, Snapchat stated that “nothing is more important to them than the well-being of its community”.
Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Legally Edited and Fact-Checked by:
Matthew P. Bergman, Founding Attorney, SMVLC
