What the Recent Jury Verdicts in the Social Media Addiction Cases Mean for Teens and Their Families

Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and Google (which owns YouTube) were recently held liable for $3 million each in one of the nation’s first social media harm lawsuits to go to trial. The case involved a single plaintiff—a woman who alleged that she experienced anxiety and depression after compulsively using the defendants’ social media platforms as a child. This came the day after a separate jury ordered Meta to pay a $375 million penalty due to its failure to protect child social media users. What do these outcomes mean for teens and families going forward? Here are some key insights from an experienced mass tort lawyer at Searcy Denney:

While Two Cases Have Been Resolved, Thousands Remain Pending

The first thing to know is that while two cases have now been resolved, these are just two of the many cases that have been filed against Meta, Google and other companies related to alleged harm caused by their social media platforms. Several state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against these companies, and thousands of lawsuits filed by individuals and families remain pending. This includes nearly 2,500 lawsuits pending in a national multi-district litigation (MDL) proceeding as of April 1, 2025.

As a result, while these first two jury verdicts have garnered national headlines, there are still many more resolutions to come. How pending and future cases will be resolved remains to be seen, but the fact that two juries have ruled against the social media companies will almost certainly impact how they approach the allegations against them going forward.

Meta and Google Are Not the Only Companies Facing Social Media Harm Lawsuits

While Meta and Google are the first companies to be held liable for harm caused by their social media platforms, they are not the only ones facing allegations. Lawsuits have been filed against Snap Inc. (which owns Snapchat), ByteDance Inc. (which owns TikTok), and other social media companies.

Even though these companies all have independent control over their respective social media platforms, they are all facing similar allegations in the ongoing social media harm litigation. In a nutshell, plaintiffs allege that these companies have knowingly or negligently failed to protect child and teen users of their platforms. This includes not only creating addictive algorithms and using other tactics to keep child and teen users scrolling, but failing to take adequate steps to prevent predation as well.

Individuals and Families Are Pursuing Claims Involving Multiple Forms of Social Media Harm

The social media harm lawsuits filed to date have involved wide-ranging allegations of social media-related harm. These include, but are not limited to, allegations that the defendants’ platforms are responsible for:

• Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions
• Self-harm
• Social media addiction
• Suicide
• Victimization by child predators

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California—which is where the social media harm MDL is pending—summarizes the allegations involved in the litigation as follows:

“Plaintiffs have alleged that the defendants’ social media platforms are defective because they are designed to maximize screen time, which can encourage addictive behavior in adolescents. As alleged, this conduct results in various emotional and physical harms, including death.”

As more cases go to trial, we will see whether and to what extent the social media companies targeted in these cases are held responsible for each form of alleged harm. As noted above, Meta and Google have already been held liable for one plaintiff’s anxiety and depression (though they may file an appeal), and that case will certainly serve as a roadmap for other cases as they proceed.

It Is Not Too Late for Victims and Families to Take Legal Action

With all of this in mind, what if you have concerns about social media-related harm and you haven’t yet filed a lawsuit? At this point, it is not too late to file. While statutes of limitations apply, the fact that some cases have been resolved does not preclude more plaintiffs from coming forward. By contrast, the recent jury verdicts against Meta and Google will almost certainly lead to a wave of new filings—and this could place additional financial pressure on all the targeted social media companies to consider a global settlement. If you have questions about filing a social media harm lawsuit or joining the ongoing MDL, you should:

1. Gather Your Records and Take Detailed Notes

You should gather any medical records you have related to your (or your child’s) social media-related diagnosis. You should also take detailed notes. Which social media platform or platforms did you (or your child) use? How long and how often did you (or your child) use them? When did you first have concerns about addiction or another form of social media-related harm? These are all key details your mass tort lawyer will need to know.

2. Prepare a List of Questions

In addition to taking detailed notes, you should prepare a list of questions. You should write down any questions you want to ask during your initial consultation.

3. Schedule a Free, No-Obligation Consultation

To find out if you have grounds to file a social media harm lawsuit, you will need to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced mass tort lawyer. This initial consultation is completely free and without obligation. It is also completely confidential. After your initial consultation, you should feel confident that you have the information you need to make sound decisions about your next steps.

Speak with an Experienced Mass Tort Lawyer About Your Family’s Legal Rights for Free

Would you like to speak with a lawyer about filing a social media harm lawsuit? If so, we strongly encourage you to get in touch. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced mass tort lawyer at Searcy Denney, give us a call at  800-780-8607 or tell us how we can get in touch online today.