SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION LAWSUIT
Were You or Your Child Affected by Social Media Addiction?
What Is the Social Media Addiction Litigation?
HBK Lawyers Is Reviewing Potential Social Media Addiction Claims
Social media addiction lawsuits have been filed against companies associated with Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. Many of these cases have been centralized in federal multidistrict litigation known as In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3047, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Plaintiffs allege that certain social media platforms incorporated design features intended to increase engagement and time spent using the platforms. The lawsuits include allegations involving recommendation systems, continuous scrolling, notifications, social-feedback features, and other design elements that plaintiffs claim contributed to compulsive use among younger users.
The litigation also includes allegations of serious emotional, psychological, and physical harms. These allegations remain subject to ongoing litigation and should not be treated as established facts. HBK Lawyers is reviewing potential claims involving individuals who may have experienced significant harm associated with social media use.
WHAT THE LAWSUITS ALLEGE
What Social Media Addiction Lawsuits Allege About Platform Design
In federal multidistrict litigation and related cases, plaintiffs allege that certain social media platforms used design features that encouraged younger users to spend more time on the apps and contributed to compulsive use. The specific allegations vary by platform and remain subject to ongoing litigation.
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Personalized Recommendations & Algorithms
Plaintiffs allege that social media platforms use personalized recommendation systems to continually select and deliver content intended to keep users engaged.
- Algorithmically tailored feeds and recommendations
- Use of behavioral and engagement data to personalize content
- Recommendations designed to encourage continued viewing
- Alleged amplification of harmful or age-inappropriate content
02
Continuous-Use & Re-Engagement Features
Lawsuits challenge features that plaintiffs allege reduce natural stopping points or repeatedly encourage users to return to a platform.
- Infinite scrolling
- Autoplay and continuously delivered content
- Push notifications and alerts
- Temporary or disappearing content features
03
Social Feedback & Reward Features
Plaintiffs also allege that certain social-feedback and reward features may encourage repeated checking, engagement, and continued platform use.
- Likes, reactions, comments, shares, and similar feedback
- Follower counts and other visible engagement metrics
- Streaks and other recurring-use features on certain platforms
- Filters and appearance-related social feedback
04
Youth Safeguards & Age Protections
The litigation includes allegations concerning whether platforms provided adequate safeguards for children and adolescents using their products.
- Age-verification and age-assurance measures
- Parental controls and supervision tools
- Screen-time or session-limit features
- Warnings and other youth-safety protections
Allegations Vary by Platform
Not every feature or allegation applies to every social media platform or every potential claim. The legal issues surrounding particular design features also differ. HBK Lawyers can review an individual’s platform history, circumstances, and available records as part of a potential claim evaluation.
FACTORS THAT MAY BE RELEVANT TO A POTENTIAL CLAIM
Every social media addiction claim is different. An attorney may consider factors such as age and platform-use history, patterns of use, documented injuries, and the timing of reported symptoms when evaluating an individual case.
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YOUTH OR ADOLESCENT USE
Social media use that began during childhood or adolescence may be relevant when evaluating a potential claim.
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PLATFORM USE HISTORY
When and how you used platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, or YouTube may be relevant to your case.
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COMPULSIVE OR PROLONGED USE
The frequency, duration, and pattern of social media use may be important when evaluating allegations of compulsive use or addiction.
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DOCUMENTED MENTAL-HEALTH HARM
Medical or treatment records documenting serious mental-health conditions may be relevant when evaluating an alleged injury.
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WHEN SYMPTOMS BEGAN OR WORSENED
The timing of reported symptoms in relation to social media use may be relevant when evaluating an individual claim.
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SIGNIFICANT DAILY-LIFE IMPACTS
Changes involving sleep, relationships, activities, school, or other areas of daily functioning may help document the impact of an alleged injury.
Find Out If You May Have a Claim
If you or your child experienced compulsive social media use and serious mental-health impacts, tell us what happened. HBK Lawyers can review your information and help you understand whether you may have a potential claim.
If You Think You May Have a Claim, Start Keeping Records
You do not need to have every document collected before contacting HBK Lawyers. But preserving records now may help document social media use, treatment, reported symptoms, school or daily-life impacts, and other details that could be relevant to a potential Social Media Addiction claim.
Platform Account & Usage Data
Keep information showing which platforms were used, account names, approximate account-creation dates, usage history, and any available account data from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, or other relevant platforms.
Screen Time & Device Records
Preserve available Screen Time, Digital Wellbeing, app-usage, or similar device records that may help show how frequently or for how long particular social media apps were used.
Medical & Mental-Health Records
Keep available records relating to counseling, therapy, psychiatric care, medical treatment, diagnoses, prescriptions, hospital visits, or other care connected to the injuries or symptoms being reported.
School & Academic Records
Records involving attendance, grades, academic performance, counseling, accommodations, or other documented school-related changes may help provide context when educational impacts are part of a potential claim.
Screenshots & Communications
Preserve relevant screenshots, messages, emails, notifications, posts, or other communications that may help document platform use, reported concerns, changes in behavior, or events connected to the circumstances being reviewed.
A Simple Timeline
Write down important dates while they are still fresh, including when social media use began, changes in usage patterns, when symptoms appeared or worsened, treatment dates, school changes, and other significant events.
Preserve original records and digital copies when possible. Do not delete, alter, or intentionally destroy social media accounts, messages, usage data, or other potentially relevant information. If you have questions about preserving an account or its data, speak with an attorney before making changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deadlines can vary depending on the legal claims involved, where the case is filed, when the alleged injury occurred or was discovered, the claimant’s age, and other circumstances. Special rules may also apply to minors. Because missing a filing deadline can affect your rights, it is important to have your individual situation reviewed rather than relying on a general deadline.
Not every case is the same. Medical, therapy, psychiatric, hospitalization, or other treatment records may be important in documenting the nature and severity of an alleged injury. Whether particular documentation is needed will depend on the facts of the potential claim and the circumstances being evaluated.
A parent or legal guardian may be able to pursue a claim involving a minor child, but the process depends on the jurisdiction and the circumstances of the case. Courts may require a representative, such as a guardian ad litem, to act on behalf of a minor during litigation. HBK Lawyers can review the situation and explain what steps may apply.
Using more than one social media platform does not automatically prevent a potential claim. The platforms involved, when and how they were used, the alleged injuries, and available usage or account records may all be relevant when evaluating which companies or claims may be involved.
Do not delete, alter, or intentionally destroy social media accounts, messages, usage information, or other potentially relevant records because you are considering a claim. Account and usage data may be important evidence. If you are thinking about deleting or deactivating an account, speak with an attorney about preserving relevant information first.
HBK Lawyers handles these matters on a contingency-fee basis. Attorney’s fees are contingent upon a recovery. HBK Lawyers advances litigation costs. If there is no recovery on your behalf, you owe no attorney’s fees and no repayment of costs advanced.
Submitting your information allows HBK Lawyers to review the circumstances of your situation. The firm may contact you for additional information or documents if needed.
Submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship is formed only after you and HBK Lawyers enter into a written agreement.