Individual lawsuits
People are filing individual lawsuits against social media companies alleging features of social networking apps caused them or their children to develop mental health issues from overuse. Various features – such as autoscrolling, image filters and notifications – fostered the problematic use of social networking apps which allegedly led to mental health problems in children and adolescents.
Individuals who have filed lawsuits in the MDL include:
- Parents or legal guardians suing on behalf of a child who was harmed by social media. Harms may include mental health problems, self-harm and suicidal ideation
- Adults (18 or older) who were harmed as minors (17 or younger) filing lawsuits on their own behalf
School district lawsuits
School districts have filed lawsuits in the federal MDL.
Attorneys representing school districts allege the features of social media platforms:
- Cause a financial burden for schools and their employees
- Disrupt lesson plans by harming students’ mental health and reducing their attention spans
- Stress the limited mental health resources available to students
Motley Rice represents some of the school districts in the MDL.
State and local government agencies
Local government agencies consider themselves “first responders” in providing youth mental health resources. They allege social media companies’ conduct has further burdened their resources and compromised their ability to meet the public’s needs.
Youth and teen mental health issues have also led to property damage. State, regional, and local government agencies bear the costs of addressing that damage.
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