Facebook is facing lawsuits from angry parents who claim that social media caused their child’s suicide, anorexia, eating disorder, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
Need a Texas Facebook Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you believe that Facebook or other social media platform caused your child’s suicide, depression, or eating disorder, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
What is the Problem?
Meta Platforms, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, has been hit by a growing number of lawsuits for suicides and mental health issues suffered by its users.
Lawsuit Filed for Teenager’s Suicide After Social Media Addiction
In January 2022, a mother from Connecticut named Tammy R. filed a lawsuit on behalf of her 11-year-old daughter who committed suicide after she “struggled for more than two years with an extreme addiction to Instagram and Snapchat.”
According to the lawsuit, social media is like “a slot machine but marketed toward teenage users who are even more susceptible than gambling addicts.”
Mental Health Risks of Using Social Media
- Suicide
- Suicidal ideation / attempts
- Self-harm
- Depression
- Emotional disorders (anxiety, low self-esteem, etc.)
- Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, etc.)
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Sexual abuse or exploitation
- Other mental health issues
- And more
Facebook Knows Social Media is Toxic for Teenage Girls
In September 2021, an investigation by the Wall Street Journal found that Facebook conducted shocking research into the harmful effects of social media.
The researchers surveyed teenagers in the U.S. and Britain about their use of Instagram. Alarmingly, they found that “32% of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse. … Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression.”
According to the researchers:
“Young people are acutely aware that Instagram can be bad for their mental health, yet are compelled to spend time on the app for fear of missing out on cultural and social trends.”
The teenagers in the studies also listed a number of ways that social media was harmful to their mental health. For example, they worried about the pressure to have the same body types as influencers. They also struggled for validation by generating views, likes, and followers.
Social Media Algorithms Can Worsen Mental Health Issues
Frances Haugen, a product manager-turned-whistleblower, testified against Facebook after leaking thousands of pages of internal documents, called The Facebook Papers.
She accused the company of putting profits over people by ignoring the risk or mental health issues among teenage users:
“Facebook knows that they are leading young users to anorexia content. … The company’s leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer, but won’t make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people.”
Need a Facebook Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our law firm for a free case review.