Understand the issue
A guide for families
What these cases generally involve, what a preliminary review may consider, and the questions families most often ask before taking a first step.
If you are reading this because a child or teenager in your life has been seriously affected by social media, the first thing to know is that you do not need every answer to take a first step. This page explains what these cases generally involve and what a preliminary review may look at.
What these cases generally involve
The lawsuits in this area share a common shape. They involve a person who used platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, or YouTube before turning 18, and whose life changed in a serious way, such as treatment, hospitalization, an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, self harm, or another documented impact.
A jury in the first such case to reach a verdict described a young woman who became addicted to the platforms as a child, a pattern now at the center of thousands of similar cases (NPR).
Questions a review may consider
A preliminary review often looks at a few basic things, not every detail of a family’s history:
- When the use began, and whether it began while the person was under 18
- Which platforms were involved and roughly for how long
- What changed, in specific terms, and when
- Whether there are records, such as medical or school records, that document the change
You do not need to gather records before asking a question. A later review can work out what is relevant. Starting with the outlines is enough.
What it means to take a first step
Sharing the basics is not filing a lawsuit. It is a way to have the outlines of a situation reviewed so that you and your family can decide, on your own terms, whether to speak further. There should be no obligation to continue at any point.
Addiction Advocates offers a short, private form as a starting point. A live form will identify the receiving legal services partner and present its privacy and contact consent terms before it accepts any submission.
A note on care
These questions sit alongside real distress, and the support should come first when it is needed immediately. The Surgeon General has documented that more than three hours a day on social media is associated with double the risk of mental health problems in young people (U.S. Surgeon General). If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If they need someone to talk to right now, call or text 988.
This page is informational. It is not legal advice, and it cannot determine whether any person has a claim.