Meta Lawsuit

Meta Platforms, Inc. is the parent company of popular social media platforms Instagram and Facebook. It is responsible for designing, updating and maintaining the apps and desktop sites. Billions of people worldwide use these two social media apps daily.

January 2025 platform usage estimates shows:

• Facebook: 3.07 billion monthly active users worldwide
• Instagram: 2 billion monthly active users worldwide

Meta is now facing lawsuits concerning the effects of social media on young users. These social media lawsuits allege that Meta purposefully designed its two platforms to engage children and failed to adequately warn users of the harmful effects of social media.

Meta is involved in several lawsuits about youth mental health and the dangers of social media. State AGs, school districts and parents have all filed lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies with these complaints.

Motley Rice attorneys represent clients who have joined a mass legal action called In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 3047). This federal action included more than 1,400 cases as of March 2025. 

Individual lawsuits

People who were harmed as children and parents of children being harmed have filed lawsuits against Meta. One such Instagram mental health lawsuit was filed by a 21-year-old woman. Her case claims the platform affected her self-esteem and caused her to develop depression and an eating disorder. Other plaintiffs like her are filing cases nationwide. Motley Rice represents individuals who have filed Meta teen mental health lawsuits.

School district lawsuits

Some school districts have also brought lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies. One lawsuit, filed by the Charleston County School District, called the platforms “addictive and dangerous.”

School districts that have filed lawsuits in the federal MDL allege that the features of social media platforms have:

• Caused a financial burden for schools and their employees
• Disrupted their lesson plans by harming students’ mental health and reducing their attention spans
• Stressed the limited mental health resources available to students

Motley Rice represents school districts that have filed lawsuits as part of the MDL. 

State lawsuits

Thirty-three states have filed lawsuits against Meta for its role in the youth mental health crisis. These lawsuits allege that Meta knowingly promoted compulsive use of its platforms, especially in children and teens, and misled the public about related dangers. The suits are consolidated in the Northern District of California. Eight other states and the District of Columbia have filed separate lawsuits against Meta with similar claims.

Social media lawyers can explain these cases in more detail. If you or a loved one have suffered from social media use, you may be eligible to pursue legal action. Contact a lawyer at Motley Rice who is involved in Meta litigation to find out more about your options.

Facebook is Meta’s most-used platform, with more than three billion worldwide users. Studies have found connections between Facebook use and mental health issues like depression and eating disorders.

It also appears that Meta knew the dangers of Facebook’s features, especially for children. Nearly 120 public health advocates sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to inform him of a 2014 study that linked Facebook use to body image issues. The study found that 10- to 12-year-old girls who used Facebook were more likely to idealize thinness and diet more often.

Over a decade of research links Meta’s conduct and the features of Facebook to these harms. Long-lasting physical harms can include fertility issues, cardiovascular problems, bone loss and grey matter brain loss.

People who have experienced these issues may be eligible to file a Facebook lawsuit against Meta.

Learn more about Facebook mental health impacts and legal options.

Multiple plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against Meta for Instagram’s alleged role in a youth mental health crisis. Some suits allege Instagram is to blame for children developing depression, eating disorders and suicidal behavior.

Numerous studies and users have noted the negative effects of Instagram on mental health. Social media teen mental health lawsuits highlight these negative impacts and tie them to specific platforms. A former Meta employee leaked Meta’s own research of teen girls, which showed that:

• 13.5% reported more frequent suicidal thoughts
• 17% reported worsening eating disorders after they started using Instagram
• 32% of girls with existing body image issues reported that Instagram made them feel even worse about themselves

Problematic use of Instagram can lead to many negative outcomes. Some people have filed lawsuits alleging Meta purposefully designed the app to ensnare vulnerable users.

Learn more about Instagram mental health lawsuits.

Plaintiffs allege that they or their children experienced physical and mental harms as a result of using Meta platforms. They also allege that the design of Facebook and Instagram deliberately included features that preyed on the vulnerability of young people.

Alleged harms of social media include: 

• Anxiety
• Body dysmorphia
• Compulsive use
• Depression
• Eating disorder
• Self-harm
• Suicide/suicidal ideation

What damages may be available in a Meta lawsuit?

The damages that plaintiffs seek vary by whether they’re an individual or a government agency such as a school district.

Individual plaintiffs are seeking compensation for damages such as: 

• Medical and mental health treatment
• Mental anguish
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages
• Lost wages

School districts and local governments are seeking compensation for:

• Costs for additional mental health resources
• Costs for additional staff training
• Repair of property damage

No Meta lawsuits have reached a verdict or settlement as part of the social media mental health MDL yet.

If using Meta’s apps have caused you or your child to experience mental health issues or problematic use of social media, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Harms that may make a party eligible to file a Meta lawsuit include:

• Being treated for self-harm, eating disorders or other physical harms
• Receiving a mental health diagnosis from a healthcare professional
• Suicide or a suicide attempt

A social media lawyer at Motley Rice can evaluate your case to determine whether you’re eligible to file a Meta lawsuit. Our team can walk you through the process and help you gather the necessary information.

Motley Rice attorneys have worked for decades to seek justice for children and families affected by toxic and dangerous exposures, including to social media. If you need help filing a lawsuit for Meta’s effects on mental health, our law firm can help.

Learn more about our experience advocating for people who allege harms caused by technology and media companies.