[2023 Update] Facebook Mental Health Lawsuit

What is the Facebook Mental Health Lawsuit?

To date, there are now thousands of social media mental health lawsuits filed against Meta and other social media companies.

Social media companies are facing a mass amount of lawsuits for the negative mental health effects that its social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram, among several platforms) have created.

These mental health effects include, but are not limited to:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Suicidal thoughts and ideation
• Body dysmorphia
• Eating disorders
• Other mental health effects

Allegations related to the mental health effects of Facebook and Instagram specifically have been identified in internal documents leaked by Meta’s former data engineer, Frances Haugen.

Meta Designed Facebook To Be Addictive to Teens and Young Adults

Meta is alleged to have deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive.

The idea that Facebook and Instagram’s content impacts young users’ mental health is detailed in the internal documents leaked by Frances Haugen to the Wall Street Journal.

In these documents, it was revealed that in 2019, Meta (then called Facebook) conducted research into how its social media apps affected teen mental health.

The researchers found that Facebook and Instagram users suffered from various mental health problems ranging from depression to body image issues.

Facebook responded in multiple press releases that its platforms do the opposite and that it was unaware of the negative effects its platforms have on mental health.

However, according to the leaked documents, Meta knew of the mental health impacts of its social media platforms.

Instead of taking action, Meta continued to engineer its algorithms to keep users engaged — even if it came at the expense of their mental health.

Facebook Either Failed To Protect Users or Refused To Do So

One of the leaked documents from Haugen was a 2017 document that contained details on cyberbullying on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (all Meta social media apps).

In these documents, there was indubitable evidence that these platforms have grown into a breeding ground for bullies and abusers who prey on teenage girls.

Once again, Meta knew of this.

However, despite the information the company had, it did little to regulate or monitor cyberbullying activity on all its platforms.

The lack of action potentially makes Meta liable for mental health condition teenage girls may develop from social media usage.

Facebook (and Instagram) Potentially Benefited From the Mental Health Issues Suffered by Its Users

Meta knew of the negative mental health impacts of its platforms.

Nevertheless, it reportedly continued to design its algorithms and platforms in a way that keeps users addicted.

By doing so, Meta allegedly made its users susceptible to anxiety disorders, appearance-based social comparison, depression, and other mental health issues.

Meta’s engineering of social media algorithms made it one of the world’s biggest social media companies in the world.

Unfortunately, the company achieved its status partly by taking advantage of the mental health crisis experienced by young users and their family members.

With this perspective, it’s easy to see that Meta’s rise to prominence can be labeled as unethical.

For this reason, the company is facing lawsuits for the harm it has potentially caused teens and young adult users.

Latest Update on the Facebook Mental Health Lawsuit

The Facebook mental health lawsuit continues as more lawyers are investigating potential legal action.

Despite the early stages of the lawsuit, several school districts and public agencies have already filed lawsuits against Meta and other social media companies.

A recent example of this sort of legal action was a lawsuit was filed in May 2023 by the Clarksville-Montgomery School System, who sued Meta for lack of protection and contributing to the mental health issues of young users.

Facebook responded to this lawsuit by announcing new parental controls on its platforms.

The new feature enables teenage users to block other users.

Once a user blocks a social media account, a notification to switch on the controls comes out.

If enabled, the controls will enable parents to see who follows their child and who their child follows.

While this is a step in the right direction, there’s no denying that the damage has already been done.

Parental controls or not, Meta has already deliberately caused many teen users mental health problems — and it must be held accountable.

If your child has suffered the negative mental health effects of Facebook and Instagram use, seek justice.

Contact us at TorHoerman Law for a free case evaluation or use the chatbot on this page.

The Facebook Files: Leaked Documents Showing Meta's Hand in the Teen Mental Health Crisis

In 2021, Frances Haugen — a former Meta data engineer — leaked a series of internal documents to the Wall Street Journal.

These revealing documents exposed Facebook’s awareness of the detrimental impact its platforms had on users.

The Wall Street Journal made these documents public in an expose later called “The Facebook Files.”

“The Facebook Files” were a series of investigative reports that exposed the distressing link between social media use and increased rates of depression and anxiety among teenage girls.

Shockingly, Meta (then called Facebook) was well aware that its algorithms were designed to prioritize content that would keep users engaged even if it meant showcasing harmful material.

The gravity of the files raised serious concerns about the role of social media in today’s society.

By publicizing the leaked documents showing Meta’s involvement in the mental health crisis, it has prompted urgent calls for increased regulation of social media companies.

Also, more lawyers representing the victims of social media’s negative mental health effects began investigating potential legal action instantly due to the findings.

The key findings from the files include the following:

• Despite being aware of the negative effects Instagram posed on teenage girls, Facebook chose financial gain over user well-being.
• Facebook’s algorithms were deliberately tailored to provoke anger or distress in users to keep them hooked on the platform.
• For years, Facebook knew about misinformation spread on its platforms, yet it took little action to combat the issue.
• The company was aware of its platforms being used to spread hate speech, but it failed to take substantial measures to address the problem.

The files paint a concerning picture of Facebook’s corporate culture, revealing the company’s willingness to prioritize profits at the expense of user safety.

The Negative Mental Health Effects Suffered by Victims

Young adults and teenagers (particularly teen girls) are the most susceptible to the harmful effects of social media usage.

Since the first lawsuits were filed against Facebook and other social media companies, more and more young social media users are reporting several mental health concerns and initiating legal action.

The potential emotional damage caused by Facebook, Instagram, Bytedance (TikTok), and other social media platforms takes many forms.

Contact us and find out if you are eligible to file a Facebook mental health lawsuit if your child or loved one has experienced any of the following mental health issues after chronic or excessive social media use:

• Depression
• Body Image Issues
• Eating Disorders
• Self-Esteem Issues
• Anxiety
• Social Media Addiction
• Suicidal Ideation

Depression

One of the conditions that may result from chronic social media use is depression.

Depression from social media can be due to several things.

According to the Child Mind Institute, the resulting depression may be from lower-quality social connections.

When a social media user forms any sort of connection online, it may be of a “lower quality” than social bonds formed in real life.

As a result, the user becomes chronically unsatisfied, looking for more online connections and relationships to soothe the underlying feelings of sadness and boredom.

Depression can also result from interactions on social media, lack of interactions and a social circle, cyberbullying, and other negative ways young users may interact with social media.

Body Image Issues

Besides low-quality social bonds, another potential reason for depression is how it causes users to have unrealistic expectations — particularly with their bodies.

In 2021, Illinois State University uncovered the link between body image issues and social media use.

The development of body image issues (or body dysmorphia) results in several other potential mental health effects like eating disorders and depression.

Eating Disorders

Social media can trigger eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.

Users who are exposed to certain social media trends, “thinspiration”, and other media that influences young users to restrict food intake can trigger a desire to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors.

Self-Esteem Issues

Besides depression, chronic users of Facebook or Instagram may be at greater risk of developing low self-esteem.

Social media can make a user prone to negative social comparison.

This leads to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and a whole host of other mental health problems.

The self-doubt generated from negative comparison also produces anxiety.

Anxiety

The curated content displayed on social media can create unrealistic standards and expectations for individuals, leading to anxiety about not measuring up or achieving enough.

This constant comparison can erode self-esteem and confidence.

This can trigger anxiety about someone’s own self-worth and life’s direction.

Addiction

In a vicious cycle, users can turn to social media use to ease their anxiety.

When this occurs, users may become hooked on social media.

Social media keeps users occupied and distracted due to the novelty of the content shown.

When users log in to their social media accounts, they are bombarded by content.

The content leads to a constant stream of dopamine that keeps users coming back for more.

Suicidal Ideation

Several studies have identified the link between suicidal ideation and prolonged social media use.

Chronic social media use creates a range of negative mental health effects.

Together, these can overwhelm young users, causing them to develop thoughts of suicide.

If there’s one mental health impact parents should hold Facebook and other social media companies accountable for, it’s this.

The pain of losing a loved one to social media-induced suicide is tremendous.

Have you lost a child or loved one to suicide from social media use?

We are here for you.

Contact us now for a free case evaluation and find out how our team of attorneys and support staff can help guide you through the legal process.

TorHoerman Law: Investigating the Facebook Mental Health Lawsuit

For a long time, social media companies like Meta have evaded responsibility for the potential mental health harm associated with chronic use of their platforms.

We are here to represent victims and their families in lawsuits filed against Facebook (Meta) and other social media companies who may be responsible for your losses and other potential damages.

If you or a loved one excessively used social media and subsequently developed mental health effects, you may be eligible to file a claim and take legal action.

Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify to take legal action instantly.

Our law firm is here to represent you and advocate for your best interests.

We recognize that the legal process can be overwhelming.

Contact our attorneys today and find out how our expertise can help you seek justice.