Multiple lawsuits allege social media platforms harmed children through design choices
Multiple lawsuits in the US allege that Meta, YouTube, and TikTok deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive and failed to protect children from harmful content and predators, with trials underway in California and New Mexico involving school districts, governments, and families seeking accountability.
What happened
Multiple federal and state lawsuits have been filed against Meta, YouTube, and TikTok alleging that deliberate design choices on their platforms harm children's mental health by keeping minors engaged and failing to protect them from predators and dangerous content.
Two trials are underway in Los Angeles, California and New Mexico, with plaintiffs including school districts, local and state governments, and thousands of families. A central case in Los Angeles focuses on a 20-year-old identified by initials KGM, whose case may determine how thousands of similar lawsuits proceed.
Reported impact
Plaintiffs allege that design choices on the platforms lead to depression, eating disorders, and suicide among children, and fail to provide protections against sexual predators and harmful content.
Index analysis
Legal experts have drawn parallels between these cases and previous litigation against tobacco and opioid industries. The outcomes could challenge the platforms' First Amendment protections and Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which shields technology companies from liability for user-published content.
Governance controls
The results of these lawsuits could force social media companies to change how they operate, potentially resulting in loss of users and advertising revenue through settlements and legal fees.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.