Social Media Harm: Is Your Family Eligible to Join a Mass Tort Lawsuit?

Lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies have recently made national headlines. But, while the plaintiffs in these cases are finally getting their day in court, these cases have been going on for a long time—and they are likely to continue well into the future. At this stage, many families are still eligible to join, and scheduling a free consultation with an experienced mass tort lawyer is the first step in the process.

Should your family join the national social media harm litigation? Here is an overview of what parents need to know:

Which Social Media Companies Are Facing (or Have Faced) Lawsuits?

At this stage, nearly all of the major social media companies have faced lawsuits alleging that their platforms present mental health risks to children and teens. While the specific allegations vary from case to case, these lawsuits generally involve allegations that the targeted social media companies’ platforms either: (i) lead to social media addiction and the mental health consequences this entails; or, (ii) expose children and teens to cyberbullying or sexual predation (or both).

To date, the social media platforms that have been targeted in mass tort litigation involving lawsuits filed by families across the country include:

• Discord
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Roblox
• Snapchat
• TikTok
• YouTube

These platforms are owned by Meta, Alphabet (Google), and other major companies with billions (and, in some cases, hundreds of billions) of dollars in assets. The lawsuits filed to date are seeking to hold these companies financially accountable for what the plaintiffs allege are their intentional efforts to prioritize their profits over their young users’ health and safety.

What Are the Allegations in the Social Media Harm Litigation?

As noted above, the allegations in the ongoing social media harm litigation vary from case to case. Broadly, however, all of the cases focus on allegations that the social media companies involved haven’t done enough to protect vulnerable users—children and teens in particular.

Beyond this, some cases involve allegations that the social media companies involved intentionally designed their algorithms to be addictive, while knowing that children and teens were likely to be among those most impacted by their efforts to keep users on their platforms. From inadequate age verification protocols to inadequate efforts to respond to complaints about victimization, various companies are facing various other allegations as well.

Who is Eligible to File a Social Media Harm Lawsuit?

Generally speaking, filing a social media harm lawsuit is an option for parents whose children have suffered emotional harm due to their use of social media platforms, including (but not necessarily limited to) those listed above. Young adults who suffered emotional harm as a result of using social media as a minor may be eligible to file lawsuits as well.

With that said, strict eligibility criteria apply. Time limits and other restrictions apply as well. As a result, for those who have questions about their legal rights, we strongly recommend scheduling a free consultation with an experienced mass tort lawyer promptly.

How Can Parents File a Social Media Harm Lawsuit?

For many parents (and young adults), filing a social media harm lawsuit will involve joining one of the national mass tort cases currently pending in federal court. Mass tort cases allow multiple plaintiffs—potentially thousands, or even tens of thousands, of individuals and families—to jointly seek accountability instead of filing separate lawsuits across the country.

Not only does this streamline the process, but it can also place additional pressure on large corporate defendants to consider a fair settlement. Generally speaking, the more financial liability these companies are facing, the more of an incentive they will have to negotiate a settlement that fairly compensates victims and their families.

What Compensation Will Families Receive if the Social Media Harm Litigation is Successful?

In the ongoing social media harm litigation, plaintiffs are seeking just compensation for their families’ financial and non-financial losses. This includes losses such as:

• Medical bills (including bills for psychological and psychiatric therapy)
• Other out-of-pocket costs (including prescription medications)
• Lost earnings
• Lost future earning capacity
• Emotional trauma and distress
• Loss of companionship and consortium
• Loss of enjoyment of life

A key aspect of the ongoing social media harm litigation is that it is being handled in national multi-district litigation (MDL) proceedings. These are not class action lawsuits. In a class action, plaintiffs’ claims are pooled together, and each individual plaintiff’s potential financial recovery is typically relatively small.

In MDL proceedings, however, each plaintiff’s lawsuit remains separate. This means that plaintiffs can seek just compensation for their specific losses, and if a global settlement is reached, plaintiffs can make their own decisions about whether to accept or keep fighting for more. In a typical MDL case, there will be “tiers” of settlements (if a settlement is reached), and each plaintiff will be able to decide whether they are willing to accept the money that is on the table.

What is the First Step Toward Filing a Social Media Harm Lawsuit

Due to the complexity of these cases and the potential damages involved, we strongly recommend that anyone who has questions about their legal rights hire an experienced mass tort lawyer to conduct a free case assessment. If you have a claim and you decide to move forward, you will not have to pay anything out-of-pocket for your legal representation. In mass tort cases, lawyers represent their clients on a contingency-fee basis, which means that their legal fees (if any) are deducted from any settlement or verdict recovered.

Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Mass Tort Lawyer at Searcy Denney

Do you have questions about filing a social media harm lawsuit? If so, we strongly encourage you to get in touch. Our lawyers represent victims and families in mass tort cases nationwide. To discuss your legal rights with an experienced mass tort lawyer at Searcy Denney, give us a call at 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can contact you online today.