August 26, 2024
- Extension Sought for Search Term Negotiations in Social Media Lawsuits: In the ongoing social media addiction litigation, both plaintiffs and defendants have jointly requested more time to finalize discussions on specific search terms for electronic discovery in bellwether cases. While general terms have been agreed upon, some case-specific details remain unresolved. The parties are seeking to extend the negotiation deadline from August 23rd to August 30th, with any related legal arguments to be submitted by September 6th. They assure the court that this delay won't disrupt the overall case schedule.
August 6, 2023:
- Social Media Addiction MDL Grows: Eighteen new cases were added to the social media addiction MDL in the past month, bringing the total number of pending cases to 517.
July 15, 2023:
- Roblox Named in Social Media Addiction Lawsuit: A new social media addiction lawsuit filed directly in the MDL names Roblox Corp. as an additional defendant. The lawsuit alleges a 13-year-old plaintiff became addicted to Roblox and Snapchat, leading to child sexual abuse and depression, suggesting the child may have encountered a sexual predator on the gaming platform.
July 12, 2024:
- Judge Denies TikTok's Request for Forensic Images of Plaintiffs' Devices: In a victory for victims, the magistrate judge in the social media MDL denies TikTok's request for comprehensive forensic images of all personal devices used by key plaintiffs. The judge determined that TikTok had not demonstrated a compelling need for such extensive data and highlighted the privacy concerns involved.
July 11, 2024:
- New Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Filed: A new wrongful death case was filed within the multidistrict litigation (MDL) concerning social media addiction. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of a 17-year-old girl from Missouri. It alleges that the girl developed addiction issues with Snapchat and TikTok at a young age, around 10 or 11 years old. According to the complaint, this addiction caused severe mental depression, leading to self-harm and ultimately her tragic suicide.
July 8, 2024:
- Social Media Addiction Lawsuits Increase: 24 new social media addiction lawsuits have been added to MDL No. 3047 against social media platforms Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, bringing the total to 499 pending cases. The first bellwether trial for these addiction lawsuits is scheduled for October 25, 2025.
July 3, 2024:
- New Snapchat and Instagram Lawsuit in California: On July 1st, a new case was filed from a 19 year old women in California claiming Instagram and Snapchat led her to attempted suicide, other forms of self-harm, depression and anxiety when she was a teenager.
June 21, 2024:
- Bellwether Trial Schedule Set: The parties involved in the social media addiction lawsuits, along with the presiding U.S. District Judge, determine that the selection of cases for the first group of bellwether trials will be finalized by February 6, 2025. The first bellwether trial is scheduled to commence on October 25, 2025.
June 17, 2024:
- Surgeon General Recommends Warning Labels: U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy calls on Congress to empower him to mandate mental health warning labels on social media platforms, citing concerns about their impact on teen mental health.
May 31, 2024:
- Judge Orders User Data Disclosure: The judge overseeing the Social Media Addiction Lawsuit MDL orders Meta, Snap, TikTok, and YouTube to provide detailed information and snapshots of specific users' accounts, revealing their usage patterns on the platforms.
May 6, 2024:
- Oakland County School District Files Lawsuit: The Oakland County School District in Michigan initiates legal action against social media companies, alleging that the platforms contribute to increased depression, anxiety, and disruption among students, necessitating additional educational resources and time.
May 1, 2024:
- Social Media Addiction Lawsuits Reach 455: The total number of Social Media Addiction lawsuits filed in the MDL reaches 455, with projections of significant growth in the number of claims throughout 2024 and 2025.
March 21, 2024:
- Connecticut Teen Joins MDL with Lawsuit: A Connecticut teen files a lawsuit against social media companies in the MDL, alleging addiction and resulting harm.
March 2024:
- Pretrial Schedule Issued for Bellwether Trials: Judge Rogers issues a pretrial schedule to initiate the selection process for the first social media addiction bellwether trials. The parties are expected to identify prospective cases for the discovery pool in April.
2024 Overview:
- Over 400 Lawsuits Filed: Since last year, over 400 social media addiction lawsuits have been filed against the operators of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. These cases have been centralized for pretrial proceedings before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California.
- Zuckerberg Cleared of Personal Liability: Mark Zuckerberg was cleared of personal liability in approximately two dozen lawsuits that claimed Meta Platforms Inc. and other social media companies caused addiction in children. An additional motion to dismiss the social media addiction lawsuit was filed on May 10, 2024, in the Northern District of California.
- South Carolina Teen Files Suit: A 19-year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, has sued in the Social Media Lawsuit MDL, alleging addiction to Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok from 2018 to 2024, resulting in serious mental health problems and a car crash.
- Bellwether Trial Selection Underway: Judge Kuhl plans to select 24 cases for discovery on June 17, 2024, to represent the broader group of plaintiffs in the lawsuit. If any selected individuals are deemed unrepresentative, they will be replaced by June 27, 2024. The Judge aims to complete this discovery process by December 6, 2024.
- Research Highlights Health Risks: A 2022 study by Alfonso Pellegrino, published in the National Library of Medicine, examines research on social media use from 2013 to 2022, focusing on Facebook and Instagram. The study identifies numerous risks associated with excessive use, including mental health problems, self-harm, and eating disorders. The lawsuit alleges that social media platforms are designed to be addictive and contribute to these issues.
- Meta Challenges Information Requests: Meta, represented by Covington and Burling LLP, has submitted over 400 pages of arguments advocating for limitations on information requests from state attorneys who have filed suit. Magistrate Judge Peter H. Kang presided over a three-hour discussion on this issue and will issue a written decision.
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How Social Media Platforms Target Young Users
Have you or your child struggled with mental health challenges linked to social media use? You're not alone. Millions of families are now facing the consequences of social media addiction, and many are seeking legal recourse.
Over 90% of U.S. teens use social media like Facebook and Instagram, spending an average of three hours a day immersed in these platforms. Instagram, especially popular among this demographic, boasts over 57 million users under 18.
The problem? Companies like the below have intentionally designed their products to maximize user engagement, employing complex algorithms that exploit human psychology. These platforms constantly update and modify features to keep users glued to their screens, often at the expense of their mental health.
Meta Platfoms - Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram
Google LLC
YouTube LLC
Snap. Inc. - Snapchat
TikTok Inc. - Tiktok
ByteDance Inc. - Tiktok
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The Adolescent Brain: A Prime Target for Addiction
Scientific research shows that teenage brains are still developing, particularly in areas related to risk assessment, emotional regulation, and impulse control. Social media algorithms intentionally exploit these vulnerabilities, creating a cycle of dopamine-fueled highs and lows that can quickly spiral into addiction.
Likes and notifications trigger euphoria, but these feelings are often followed by a crash as the brain adapts to the stimulation. Social media algorithms are designed to exploit this cycle, encouraging users to return for another "hit" of dopamine. Over time, this pattern rewires the brain's reward system, making it increasingly difficult to break free from the platform's grasp.
The Profit Motive: How Companies Benefit from Addiction
Social media companies' revenue models are directly tied to user engagement. The more time users spend on the platforms, the more money these companies make. This creates a dangerous conflict of interest, as these companies are incentivized to make their products as addictive as possible, even if it harms users.
In October 2021, a Facebook whistleblower testified before Congress, revealing that the company was aware of the negative impacts its platforms were having on teens but chose to prioritize profits over user well-being.
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The Consequences of Social Media Addiction: Mental & Physical Harm
A growing body of research, including studies by the social media companies themselves, has shown the devastating impact of social media addiction on young people.
- Depression & Anxiety: Constant comparison with others, cyberbullying, and exposure to distressing content can contribute to feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety.
- Eating Disorders: The constant barrage of unrealistic body images can trigger or worsen conditions like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.
- Self-Harm & Suicide: Exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and social isolation can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Tragically, some teens have taken their own lives due to the influence of social media.
- Other Physical Effects: Social media addiction can lead to sleep deprivation, eye strain, and a sedentary lifestyle, all of which can have negative health consequences.
Claims in Social Media Addiction Lawsuits
A recent multi-district litigation against several social media companies centers on the allegation that these platforms are defective due to their use of algorithms specifically designed to maximize screen time among adolescents. This design, the lawsuits claim, can lead to addiction, causing a range of self-destructive behaviors and mental health issues.
Parents in these lawsuits are identifying addiction through negative impacts on their children's lives, including excessive social media use, depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. The lawsuits claim that social media companies were aware of these risks and failed to warn users or take adequate steps to protect young, vulnerable individuals.
The Fight for Justice: Lawsuits Against Social Media Companies
Families across the country are now taking legal action against social media companies, seeking to hold them accountable for the harm caused by their addictive products.
If you or your child has suffered due to social media addiction, you are not alone. Help is available, and you may be entitled to compensation.
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Mass torts vs. class actions at a glance
When we're talking about mass tort and class action lawsuits, we're discussing two distinct legal approaches used to handle claims where many individuals are harmed by the same entity or event.
Mass tort lawsuits are a way to handle legal cases where many individuals have been harmed, but each person's situation is distinct. Think of it like a neighborhood where every house has different damage after a storm. In a mass tort, each homeowner would file their own lawsuit, but because the storm is the common factor, the court groups the lawsuits together to manage them more efficiently. The key here is that each person retains their own case and has a say in how it's settled, which reflects their unique damages.
In contrast, class action lawsuits and class action settlements bring people together under a single legal action. It's as if the whole neighborhood decided to sue the storm together, with one or a few neighbors representing everyone's interests. Here, individual control is limited. The representative, known as the lead plaintiff, along with their legal team, makes decisions that affect the entire group. When it comes to the payout, it's typically split evenly, or based on a formula that applies to all members.
What's best for you?
Let's quickly sum up the main points to help you decide which legal route could work better for your situation:
- Control: More personal control in mass torts; limited control in class actions.
- Compensation: Individualized in mass torts; uniform in class actions.
- Applicability: Mass torts fit for varied individual damages; class actions for uniform damages across the group.
- Efficiency: Class actions can be quicker and use fewer resources by combining claims.
So, if you're part of a group that's been wronged and you're thinking about legal action, consider these points. Do you need to maintain control over your case, or are you okay with a representative taking the lead? Do your damages require individual attention, or are they similar enough to others to share in a collective claim? Your answers will help determine whether a mass tort or a class action is the best route for your situation.
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