Social Media Addiction Lawsuit for Child and Teen Harm
Helping families hold social media companies accountable for harming young people’s mental health
Case Overview
Social Media Addiction Lawsuit: Representing 300+ young adults and families.
Families across the country are taking action against major social media companies by filing lawsuits on behalf of their children. And their efforts are paying off: on March 25, 2026, a jury awarded $6 million to a young woman harmed by social media platforms.
These lawsuits claim that companies designed their apps to be addictive and harmful, and that they ignored the serious mental health risks that come with using them.
Families like yours continue to seek compensation for mental health problems linked to heavy social media use, including:
Our social media addiction legal team is actively pursuing claims against the following platforms:
If you or your child has experienced mental health impacts related to the use of any of these platforms, contact our social media addiction attorneys today.
300+ families and young adults are represented by our lawyers.
Our team of trauma-informed social media addiction lawyers understand the concerns of parents and are committed to helping you protect your children and navigate the legal process.
We allege that these companies designed products that keep children hooked, a choice that has fueled alarming increases in depression, anxiety, and other harms. When these companies tried to have the lawsuits dismissed, claiming they couldn’t be held responsible, our firm fought back and won. Federal and state judges agreed, allowing the cases to move forward. These legal victories have been featured in BBC, Bloomberg Law, Reuters, The Verge, and more. We’re here to help your family understand your rights, explore your options, and take action when you’re ready.
Individuals, parents, school districts, and over 40 states are suing social media companies to hold them accountable for purposefully designing addictive algorithms and features that may cause child and teen depression, anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders.
Social media companies are facing hundreds of lawsuits for allegedly prioritizing user engagement over the mental and physical well-being of their users. These lawsuits claim that:
Social media companies designed their features to be addictive and exploit young users.
These companies concealed known information about the potential health risks – particularly for youth – that are associated with excessive platform use.
They also failed to take steps to prevent these harms or warn users.
Learn the Facts
Social Media Addiction Lawsuit News
March 25, 2026: $6M Verdict Reached in Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial
A jury has found Meta and YouTube responsible for harm on all counts and awarded $6 million to the plaintiff. The companies were found to be negligent for designing addictive features that led to mental health distress in a young user.
Verdicts in bellwether social media addiction court cases often help the parties understand:
The key legal theories and evidence in all cases;
What jurors find important; and
What case resolution could look like for other families.
A bellwether verdict is a sign of progress and can influence how companies handle similar cases, like yours.
February 18, 2026: Zuckerberg Testifies Over Social Media Harm Claims
In the first bellwether trial, Mark Zuckerberg testified in court claiming that Meta, Instagram’s parent company, did not intentionally pursue teen audiences. However, court evidence showcased internal documents from Meta containing phrases such as, “If we wanna win big with teens, we must bring them in as tweens.”
Children, families, and social media companies are now reacting to the outcome of the first social media addiction trial, which is expected to shape how these cases move forward and highlight the strengths and weaknesses of key legal arguments.
Additional social media addiction lawsuits are expected to go to trial in the coming months.
What are the social media addiction lawsuits about?
Social media companies such as Instagram and TikTok should be held accountable for their failure to protect kids from harm.
Social media use is nearly universal among young people. While social media can help connect people, a growing body of evidence highlights its damaging effects on the mental health and well-being of children and young people.
Gibbs Mura, A Law Group, is filing lawsuits against social media companies for allegedly creating addictive and harmful features in their apps and concealing the known mental health risks to youth.
Contact us today to schedule a free and confidential consultation and take the first step toward seeking justice for you or your child.
Effects of Social Media on Mental Health: Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Body Image Issues
New research shows a disturbing trend:
10 to 14-year-olds heavily addicted to social media faced two to three times the risk of suicidal behavior.
Source: Weill Cornell Medical College study (2025)
Research establishes a clear connection between social media use and increased anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in youth.
Almost all youth ages 13–17 report using social media, with more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.”
Youth who spend over 3 hours on social media platforms double the risk of developing anxiety and depression.
US Department of Health and Human Services, Social Media and Youth Mental Health
Why is Social Media Addictive?
Social media platforms are designed to keep users hooked and maximize engagement. We allege social media companies want to keep users on the platform for as long as possible to increase their own profits.
4.8 Hours
the average amount of time a U.S teen spends on social media per day
Gallup Survey of Adolescent Social Media Use
What Experts Have to Say About Social Media Addiction
It is time to require a surgeon general’s warning label on social media platforms, stating that social media is associated with significant mental health harms for adolescents….social media has not been proved safe
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General Source: New York Times guest essay, Surgeon General: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has issued a public advisory asking individuals and tech companies to take immediate action to address this urgent health crisis. He explained that these companies “seek to manipulate their developing brains into excessive use,” and that when it comes to pitting children’s willpower against social media’s addictive algorithms and “some of the best designers and product developers in the world,” it’s “just not a fair fight.”
He also called for social media platforms to be required to display warning labels, similar to cigarette packs, to warn parents and youth of the potential risks associated with using these platforms.
I think we need to look at social media like cigarettes, and just say it’s just a harmful product, it’s especially harmful for children, and we should make it much tougher for kids to access it.
Max Fisher, investigative journalist and author of The Chaos Machine
Steve litigates a wide range of complex cases, from environmental mass torts to consumer class actions. He has secured over $1 billion for his clients.
Angela represents plaintiffs in class actions and mass torts concerning consumer protection and products liability.
Amelia Ravitz-Dworkin
Amelia plays a crucial role on case teams representing survivors of sexual assault and parents whose children have suffered from social media addiction.
Belize Combs
Belize assists the social media addiction lawsuit teams and supports investigations into potential improper overdraft bank fee practices.
Dennis Higgs
Dennis works to help everyday people fight for their legal rights, in addition to helping oversee the day-to-day operations of the firm.
Jason Gibbs
Jason guides clients and potential clients through all stages of the litigation process, from intake to settlement.
Steve litigates a wide range of complex cases, from environmental mass torts to consumer class actions. He has secured over $1 billion for his clients.
Angela represents plaintiffs in class actions and mass torts concerning consumer protection and products liability.
Amelia Ravitz-Dworkin
Amelia plays a crucial role on case teams representing survivors of sexual assault and parents whose children have suffered from social media addiction.
Belize Combs
Belize assists the social media addiction lawsuit teams and supports investigations into potential improper overdraft bank fee practices.
Dennis Higgs
Dennis works to help everyday people fight for their legal rights, in addition to helping oversee the day-to-day operations of the firm.
Jason Gibbs
Jason guides clients and potential clients through all stages of the litigation process, from intake to settlement.
