Social Media Addiction Lawsuits: What You Need to Know

These lawsuits may apply to:
 

• People who are 25 years old or younger
• Those who experienced mental health problems linked to social media addiction
• Family members who want to take legal action on behalf of affected loved ones

 

What's Happening?

Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against major social media companies, including:
 

• Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
• Google (YouTube)
• ByteDance (TikTok)
• Snap (Snapchat)

These lawsuits claim that social media platforms were purposely designed to be addictive. The companies allegedly knew their platforms could harm young users' mental health but failed to warn them or protect them from these dangers.
 

The Mental Health Crisis

Research, including studies conducted by Meta itself, has linked social media use to various mental health problems, such as:
 

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Body image issues
• Eating disorders
• Suicidal thoughts
• Sleep problems

Studies show that young people who use social media to compare themselves to others or gain social approval are more likely to experience these negative effects.

A 2017 survey found that Instagram had the worst impact on young people's well-being, possibly because it focuses heavily on images.
 

Signs of Social Media Addiction

According to the American Psychiatric Association, social media addiction includes:
 

• Being unable to control how much time you spend on social media
• Relationship problems with family, friends, or coworkers
• Continuing to use social media even when it causes problems
• Needing to use social media more and more to feel satisfied
• Feeling anxious or restless when you can't access social media
• Using social media to escape problems or cope with negative emotions
• Losing interest in other activities
• Physical symptoms like eye strain, headaches, and trouble sleeping

Children and teenagers may be especially at risk because their brains are still developing.
 

What the Lawsuits Claim

Instagram and Facebook

Lawsuits against Meta claim the company:
 

• Designed its apps to take advantage of children's need for approval and rewards
• Targeted young users as early as 2006, seeing their vulnerability as a way to make money
• Created addictive features like the "Like" button, endless scrolling, and algorithm-based content feeds
• Failed to warn users about the risks of addiction

In October 2023, 42 state attorneys general sued Meta, claiming the company knew its platforms were harming young people but continued to add features that increased addiction.

Snapchat

In April 2025, Florida's attorney general sued Snapchat for allegedly:
 

• Deceiving parents about the dangers of the platform
• Using addictive features like infinite scrolling, push notifications, SnapStreaks, and auto-play videos

Kansas filed a similar lawsuit in September 2025, claiming Snapchat was designed to be addictive and filled with harmful content.

TikTok

Minnesota's attorney general filed a lawsuit in August 2025, claiming TikTok:
 

• Prioritized profits over user safety
• Used addictive design features to keep users engaged
• Contributed to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among users

YouTube

Arkansas's attorney general sued Google in September 2024, claiming YouTube:
 

• Was designed to exploit and addict young users
• Contributed to a mental health crisis
• Made significant profits by keeping users engaged at the expense of their well-being

 

How a Lawsuit Could Help

If successful, a social media addiction lawsuit could help affected users and their families recover money for:
 

1. Medical treatment costs (therapy, medication, etc.)
2. Lost wages
3. Emotional distress
4. Other related damages

 

What You Can Do

If you or a family member:
 

• Is 25 years old or younger
• Used social media for at least three hours a day as a minor
• Developed mental health problems that required treatment

...you may be eligible to take legal action. Many attorneys handle these cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means you only pay if they win your case.

-

Get updates on the latest articles about the housing and rental market. Click here to subscribe!