Youth Social Media Addiction & Mental Health Lawsuits

Individuals are filing lawsuits against Meta, Alphabet, Snap, and TikTok because of alleged social media addiction in children and its impacts on their mental health. Some youth and teens experience depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal behavior after consuming content on social media. 

Parents and young people allege that platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat have caused mental health injuries to children and teens and are specifically designed to be addictive and overused.

Some lawsuits filed by parents and young people have been centralized in the Northern District of California under MDL# 3047, which is named In Re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation. These cases  have been filed in federal courts, meaning potential plaintiffs can come from anywhere in the U.S. 

As of October 1, 2026, there are 3,824 lawsuits pending in the federal social media addiction MDL. The presiding judge is Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. This lawsuit is in its early stages, with bellwether cases underway and additional cases scheduled for mid-2026. People are continuing to file social media addiction lawsuits today, with new cases regularly being added to the MDL.

Social Media Lawsuit Timeline & News – Month Year

What is the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit & Mental Health Lawsuit About?

Parents and young people are filing lawsuits against social media companies, alleging that the companies have purposefully designed an addictive product that causes mental health harms in children and teens.

As countries around the world implement age limits and other legal limitations on social media usage in children, major social media platforms and their parent companies are facing lawsuits for allegedly causing addiction and related side effects in minor users. The lawsuits allege that apps like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are designed to be addictive, and that the companies that own them have negligently ignored evidence of their harmfulness to children.

Why Are People Filing Social Media Addiction Lawsuits?

Parents and young people are filing social media addiction lawsuits, alleging several wrongdoings by social media developers, including:

• Recruiting and targeting underage users to platforms
• Not instituting proper age-verification processes
• Designing apps to be addictive
• Promoting harmful content to minors
• Causing a variety of mental health conditions
• Concealing evidence of the apps’ harmfulness

In the first bellwether trial in the MDL, ByteDance (TikTok) and Snap, Inc. (Snapchat) have settled. Meta (Facebook, Instagram) and Alphabet/Google (YouTube) are ongoing. It remains to be seen if additional bellwether trials will proceed.

Meta and YouTube Bellwether Lawsuit Spotlight

K.G.M. vs Meta et al.

In a bellwether case tied to more than 2,400 other suits, Meta and YouTube are being sued by a 20-year-old California woman, identified in the suit by the initials K.G.M., who alleges a childhood addiction to social media led to depression, suicidal thoughts, and body-image issues. 

The lawsuit accuses Meta of deliberately targeting users under its own age limit of 13. It accuses Meta of working to hook children on the app through features like beauty filters, infinite scroll, and autoplay while concealing evidence of potential harm from the public.

Evidence presented in the trial has included a number of internal Meta documents, including confirmation that Meta was aware that 30% of US 10-to-12-year-olds were on Instagram, and a strategy document that declared “if we want to win big with teens, we must bring them in as tweens.” (Zuckerberg has said this quote is being taken out of context.) 

Other documentation shows that, when mental health experts hired by Meta confirmed that beauty filters led to body-image issues in users, Zuckerberg nonetheless elected to keep them.

Early testimony has focused on Meta, with evidence related to YouTube to come. This case is expected to run through March 2026 and will be decided by a Los Angeles jury. The verdict in this bellwether trial will have implications for the defendants and other plaintiffs in the MDL.

Which Social Media Companies Are Named in Lawsuits?

Defendants in the social media addiction lawsuit include the app companies and their parent companies:

• Meta, parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger
• Alphabet, Inc, parent company of Google and YouTube
• Snap, Inc., parent company of Snapchat
• ByteDance, parent company of TikTok

Information for some of the defendants is listed below.

Defendant 1: TikTok (ByteDance)

ByteDance, based in China, is the parent company of TikTok, a short-form video social media app with 200 million users in the United States. TikTok algorithmically presents videos to users, and is frequently responsible for sparking viral trends.

In recent years, TikTok has come under increased scrutiny in the U.S. over concerns about Chinese government influence operations and access to user data. This led to local and institutional restrictions as well as a de facto national ban that was implemented in January 2025. After years of pressure from the U.S. government, in December 2025, it sold a majority stake in its U.S. TikTok business to a consortium of investors, including Oracle.

TikTok was named as a defendant in KGM’s bellwether case but settled prior to going to trial.

Defendant 2: Snapchat (Snap, Inc.)

Snapchat is a popular photo-sharing app. A distinguishing feature is that most messages can only be viewed for a limited time. As its user base has grown above 300 million, it has expanded beyond messaging to include algorithmic content feeds similar to other leading social media platforms.

In the bellwether lawsuit brought by K.G.M., Snap was named as a defendant but, like TikTok, settled before trial. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel will no longer need to testify in that case.

Defendant 3: Instagram & Facebook (Meta)

Meta is the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which it acquired in 2012. Facebook launched in the early 2000s as a pioneering social networking platform, while Instagram started as a photo-sharing app before eventually adding video sharing features similar to TikTok. As of the end of 2025, Meta reported 3.58 billion daily active users across its family of applications, which includes Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.

In 2021, Facebook, Inc. employee Frances Haugen leaked thousands of pages of internal research and documents and testified before Congress as a whistleblower. Haugen testified that the company knew its platform was harmful, and said that it “harm[s] children, stoke[s] division and weaken[s] our democracy.” (Facebook, Inc. rebranded to Meta in late 2021.)

Defendant 4: YouTube (Alphabet/Google)

YouTube is a video creation and sharing platform owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google. It provides both short- and long-form videos. Similar to other platforms, YouTube algorithmically suggests content to users to create a personalized experience. Like other platforms, its revenue comes primarily from advertisements, and therefore has a strong financial incentive to increase viewership.

One mixed-method study of 106 subjects found an almost 40% rate of severe YouTube addiction.

Allegations Against Social Media Companies

The lawsuits allege that the makers of social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok, have caused addiction in youth, resulting in mental health injuries. Plaintiffs allege their social media addiction caused depression, body image issues, suicidal thoughts, and other psychiatric disorders. Moreover, they accuse the defendants of deliberately designing their apps to be addictive and, in some cases, targeting children against their own age limits for usage.

Social media companies have argued that they are exempt from liability under Section 230 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which says that interactive computer services are not liable for content users create on them. Courts have frequently interpreted this statute in favor of platforms. Because the social media addiction lawsuits have focused on platform design rather than specific content, the courts have so far ruled that Section 230 does not definitively apply, and have allowed the cases to move forward.

What Stage is the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit In?

An early bellwether trial against Meta and Alphabet is in progress as of March 2026. It is expected to last through the end of March. TikTok and Snap, Inc. were also named as defendants in the suit, but settled before going to trial. This bellwether case is tied to more than 2,400 additional lawsuits. Its result will have profound implications for those suits, as well as other future cases.

Other suits are also ongoing. A federal bellwether case on behalf of school districts is set to begin in June 2026 in California. Attorneys General in more than 40 states have sued Meta for similar claims of addiction and harm to children.

What Injuries Are Associated with Youth Social Media Addiction?

Youth social media addiction is associated with a variety of serious, sometimes interrelated psychiatric disorders, including:

• Anxiety
• Body image issues and eating disorders
• Depression
• Self-harm
• Suicidality

Self-harm (Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Disorder)

Self-harm without suicidal intent, such as purposefully cutting or burning oneself, can have many causes, including trauma, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and strong feelings of isolation. 

People who self-harm may do so to manage difficult feelings, to feel a sense of control, or to broadcast their distress to others. Self-harm can cause scarring and other lasting physical damage, as well as serious complications such as infection. It can be difficult to diagnose because people typically try to keep it a secret.

Depression

About 20% of teens have been diagnosed with depression, which refers to persistent feelings of sadness that last for two weeks or more, along with feelings such as hopelessness, irritability, and low self-esteem. Studies have indicated a direct link between social media usage and depression. 

Depression can cause difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, loss of enjoyment in things like hobbies or school, and may lead to self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse, or suicidal ideation.

Anxiety

Anxiety is common in children, present in up to 20% of adolescents and a third of teens ages 13 to 18. It can present in different ways, including social anxiety and specific phobias. Children with severe anxiety may experience panic attacks, a physical reaction to fear that may involve difficulty breathing, sweating, and a racing heart.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder, are a group of mental health disorders that affect a person’s relationship with food and their eating habits. More than 1 in 5 children and adolescents globally has an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are often associated with body-image issues and depression. They may be characterized by behaviors like bingeing and purging, self-starvation, or excessive exercise. They can cause physical side effects like fatigue, loss of energy, weight fluctuations, thinning hair, and can even be fatal. Evidence suggests that eating disorders are a leading cause of death among mental illnesses.

Suicidal ideation and behavior

All of the above are risk factors for suicide and suicidal ideation, a leading cause of death among United States youth. It has seen an increase in prevalence that closely correlates with the increase in social media use and popularity.

Signs and Symptoms of Social Media Addiction and Compulsive App Use

Someone with a social media addiction may exhibit the following behaviors:

• Excessive screen time
• A compulsion to check their device and social media accounts
• Declining school or work performance
• Erosion of real-world relationships with friends and family

Studies Linking Social Media Usage to Addiction and Psychiatric Disorders

As child social media usage has exploded alongside rising rates of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, a number of studies have examined the relationship between the two. 

Studies have generally found a correlation between social media usage and conditions such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. While many of these studies stop short of saying social media usage causes these conditions, there is a growing body of research showing a causal relationship.

Important Article: Social Media Algorithms and Teen Addiction: Neurophysiological Impact and Ethical Considerations

Drawing on dozens of prior studies and articles, this article in Cureus lays out the mechanisms by which social media usage can lead to addiction. It argues that social media usage (including likes, comments, and other features) stimulates the brain’s dopamine reward centers just as physical addictions do. 

When combined with algorithmic feeds designed to keep users engaged with an app, this creates an addictive feedback loop that teens and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to. The article goes on to highlight ethical concerns around this addictive potential.

Important Study: Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms During Early Adolescence

This study, published in JAMA Network Open in 2025, examined social media usage and depression in a cohort of nearly 12,000 adolescents aged 9-10 and then the same group aged 12 to 13. As one of the first studies of this type to examine the link between social media and depression, it was able to assess changes over time and draw causal conclusions that previous studies were unable to.

The study found that increased social media usage led to a higher risk of developing depression over time. An average daily usage increase of 7 to 73 minutes led to a 35% increase in depression symptoms. Notably, an increase in depressive symptoms did not lead to an increase in social media usage.

What Damages Can People Sue Social Media Companies For?

Individuals suing social media companies for addiction and its consequences may be eligible for damages and compensation in a number of areas. (This will depend on the outcome of bellwether trials, as well as the specifics of individual cases.)

• Medical Expenses:
  • You may receive compensation for hospitalization, psychiatric care, medication, and other treatments. Compensation could be for expenses already incurred as well as expected future expenses.
• Pain and Suffering:
  • Emotional Distress: The anxiety, depression, or other psychological trauma that developed from a social media addiction may lead to additional damages.
  • Physical Pain: Lasting physical consequences (for example, due to an eating disorder or an attempt at self-harm) may lead to compensation.
• Loss of Quality of Life:
  • Compensation for diminished ability to perform daily activities, hobbies, or enjoy life, all common side effects of depression and other psychiatric disorders alleged to be caused by social media addiction.
• Permanent Disability or Disfigurement:
  • Conditions like depression, self-harming behavior, and eating disorders can have severe and lasting consequences, for which you may be compensated.
• Lost Wages:
  • If you lost income due to your social media addiction, or have had your ability to work in the future affected, you may be eligible for compensation.
• Punitive Damages:
  • The lawsuits allege that social media companies purposefully design their platforms to be addictive, and that some of them ignored experts who said their platforms were harmful. If the courts agree with these claims, punitive damages are more likely. 
• Wrongful Death (if applicable):
  • Some individual social media lawsuits have been filed on behalf of deceased individuals who committed suicide or died while attempting a viral social media challenge. Families of these individuals may be eligible for additional compensation for funeral costs and emotional distress.
• Legal Fees and Costs:
  • You may recover litigation costs, including attorney fees and court expenses. You will typically only owe your attorney a fee if you win your case and receive compensation.

Who Qualifies to File a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit?

In order to file a social media addiction lawsuit, each person has to meet certain eligibility requirements. Our legal partners are focusing on the specific injuries listed below, incurred by individuals under 21 who used social media apps as minors:

• Suicidality
• Self-harmful behavior
• Depression
• Anxiety
• PTSD
• Eating disorders

Lawsuit eligibility may change throughout the course of the litigation. Contact our team to discuss your specific case and possible legal options.

What Proof Do You Need to File a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit?

To file a lawsuit, you’ll need to assemble documentation to make your case, a process your attorney will assist with. Broadly speaking, you need evidence to support the following:

• A diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder, and/or instances of self-harm or suicidal ideation
• A pattern and timeline of social media usage leading to that diagnosis 
• The impact that social media addiction and its symptoms had on your life
• The financial cost of your addiction

Evidence and Timeline of Social Media Usage

• Social media usage data:
  • You’ll need to include as much data as possible on your social media usage over time. Information like the time of usage will likely be available on your phone. You may be able to obtain other usage data directly from the social media company.
• Timeline:
  • You’ll need to show a clear timeline of events, with a formal diagnosis happening after excessive social media usage.

Evidence About Your Diagnosis and Treatments

• Medical Records:
  • Proof of diagnosis of one or more conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or an eating disorder
  • Hospitalizations or doctor and specialist appointments
• Treatment Records:
  • You’ll need to include records of related prescriptions, talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and treatment for self-harm or the physical effects of an eating disorder, and anything else related to a social media addiction or its consequences.

Evidence Showing Losses

• Proof of Damages:
  • Impact on Quality of Life
    • It’s important to demonstrate how a social media addiction has affected quality of life (through loss of enjoyment of hobbies or the physical side effects of an eating disorder, for example). 
  • Report cards, notes from teachers or guidance counselors, or other materials showing a decline in school performance over time
  • Notes from therapy or counseling sessions
  • Financial Records
    • Medical bills, proof of lost wages, receipts for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel to see a specialist, and other expenses related to a social media addiction and its consequences.
    • Pay stubs to indicate a loss of income (if applicable)

Testimony From You and Your Family

• Personal Testimony: The plaintiff will need to testify and answer questions about their social media addiction and its consequences. This can be emotionally difficult, but an experienced attorney will be able to support and guide you through the process.
• Witness Testimony: Parents, siblings, or extended family and/or friends will need to testify to the effects of the plaintiff’s social media addiction. This is especially important and powerful in cases involving minors.

Steps to File a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

These are the general steps for filing a social media addiction lawsuit. Depending on the outcome of bellwether trials, several of these may not be necessary because a global settlement deal could be reached. Similarly, there may not be settlements in these lawsuits.

Here are the steps to filing a social media mental health claim:

1. Consult an Attorney Specializing in Product Liability:
   1. An experienced attorney will review your injuries and experience with social media addiction to determine your eligibility to file a suit.
2. Gather Relevant Medical Documentation:
   1. You’ll need as much evidence as possible to support your case. This will include your social media usage history, relevant medical records (for example, a diagnosis of depression or an eating disorder), doctors’ notes, and other records.
3. File the Lawsuit in Court:
   1. Your attorney will file your lawsuit within the statute of limitations. If eligible, your case will likely be added to the social media addiction MDL.
4. Pre-Trial Discovery:
   1. Before going to trial, both sides will work to gather evidence and testimony to support their case. In an MDL, discovery happens before bellwether trials, so most plaintiffs do not need to participate in all aspects of discovery.
5. Settlement Negotiations:
   1. A settlement may be the best outcome for both sides, removing the risk of losing a trial. Companies also may opt to settle to avoid admitting fault or testifying under oath. Your attorney will negotiate this for you.
6. Trial (If Necessary):
   1. If a settlement is not reached, your case may go to trial.
7. Receive Compensation:
   1. This will depend heavily on the outcome of the bellwether trials. Potential compensation includes damages for pain and suffering, punitive damages, and reimbursement for medical bills and legal fees.

What to Expect When Filing a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

The most important thing to know about filing a lawsuit is that your attorney will guide you through the process at every step. The length of the process may vary–while many of the cases in the MDL were filed as far back as 2022, settlements or a ruling in the bellwether cases may speed the process up significantly. Compensation will depend on the outcome of these trials, as well as the severity and specific details of your case. Typically, you will only pay legal fees to your attorney if you win your case.

What is the Deadline for Filing a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit?

In order to file a lawsuit, you must do so within the statute of limitations. This varies from state to state but is usually between 1 and 3 years from either the date of injury or the discovery that an injury was linked to product liability. In some states, the statute of limitations is as long as 6 years. (Your state’s statute of limitations may also be longer when a case involves a minor. Sometimes the state-by-state deadline is different for wrongful death claims.)

It is recommended that you start gathering documentation and consult an attorney as soon as possible if you think you may have a case. Even if you are not sure, an experienced attorney can help determine whether you might be eligible for a lawsuit and, if so, help you file within the time limit.

Social Media Addiction Settlements and Awards

It is still early in the bellwether trial process. Throughout 2026, social media companies have settled with 51 state attorneys general and territories. The August 2026 settlement could result in more than $16.8 billion distributed among the 51 plaintiffs. However, this money will not go to individuals who have filed mental health lawsuits.

In March 2026, a jury ordered YouTube and Meta to pay a 20-year-old woman, known as K.G.M., a combined $6 million. The jury said that YouTube and Instagram were partially responsible for mental health harms experienced by K.G.M., who started using the platforms as a minor.

Some state attorneys general have settled with social media companies outside of the landmark $16.8 million settlement. For example, in September 2025, the Arkansas attorney general negotiated a landmark settlement with TikTok over youth mental health harms. Alabama will receive $100 to $300 million in this settlement.

As social media companies continue to settle with states, it could put pressure on some companies to settle with individual plaintiffs.

Average Settlement Amounts

Average settlements in social media lawsuits will vary greatly depending on the plaintiff, the harms, and a variety of other factors. Individual social media settlements could range from $25,000 to $100,000 or more. Settlements with state attorneys general and school districts will likely be worth many millions of dollars.

Factors Affecting the Value of a Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

The outcome of the bellwether trials will make the value of potential compensation in this suit much clearer. Factors that will likely play a role include:

• Injury Severity: Generally speaking, the more severe an injury, the higher the compensation.
  • Some suits against social media companies involve wrongful death. These may be eligible for higher compensation.
• Impact on Life: Many people with social media addictions experience significant impact on their quality of life, including poor school performance, erosion of social and family relationships, and more. The degree of impact may influence compensation. 
• Punitive Damages: If the companies are found to have deliberately designed their apps to be addictive, and/or targeted children on purpose (as Meta is accused of doing), they may be liable for punitive damages.

Learn More About Social Media Addiction Lawsuits From Our Legal Team

If you believe you or a family member has been harmed due to a social media addiction, our experienced legal partners are standing by to help you. They can assist with every step of the process, from evaluating your case to navigating the lawsuit process. Contact them now for a free, confidential case review.