U.S. Civil Lawsuits Expose Social Media Addiction's Harm to Youth, Canadian Experts Say
Recent successful civil lawsuits in the United States against major social media companies could mark a significant turning point in how society views the impact of these platforms, particularly on children and teenagers. Canadian experts argue that these legal actions are exposing the damaging and dangerous effects of social media addiction, shifting the focus from individual responsibility to corporate accountability.
A Shift in Responsibility
Sachin Marahaj, assistant professor of educational leadership, policy and program evaluation at the University of Ottawa's faculty of education, explained the evolving perspective. "For many years, the model was that this was one of individual responsibility — it was up to individuals, whether that was children or their parents in this case, to regulate their own use," Marahaj told National Post in an interview.
"But increasingly, it's been recognized that that is not really tenable, particularly given the way these apps are designed to maximize engagement and, some would argue, myself included, to be addictive and kind of overwhelm the impulse control of any one person."
Marahaj expects more courts and juries will follow this precedent, putting increased pressure on technology behemoths to take responsibility and implement changes to protect young users.
Landmark Legal Decisions
This week in California, a jury determined that Meta and Alphabet's Google were negligent in designing platforms that are detrimental to the mental health of young people and failing to adequately inform users about potential risks. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old identified as Kaley in court documents because she was a minor at the time, argued that she became addicted to Google's YouTube and Meta's Instagram due to their intentionally engaging design.
She testified that she eventually became so depressed that she experienced suicidal ideation and required medical treatment. While the jury didn't find that the apps directly caused her mental health issues, they determined the platforms aggravated her condition and awarded her US$6 million in damages. She also received undisclosed damages from TikTok and Snapchat, social media companies she also sued but settled with out of court.
Just one day earlier in New Mexico, Meta faced another significant legal setback when a jury imposed a penalty of US$375 million after determining the company knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp platforms. A second phase of this trial will begin in May, when a judge will decide if Meta's platforms constitute a public nuisance and if the company should fund programs to address the harm they cause.
Growing Legal Pressure
These cases represent just the beginning of what could become a wave of legal action against social media companies. Dozens of other states and attorneys general have filed similar suits against Meta, indicating a growing consensus that these platforms require greater regulation and accountability.
Paul Bennett, director of the Schoolhouse Institute educational consulting firm in Halifax and author of "Weapons of Mass Distraction: Curbing social media addiction and reclaiming the smartphone generation," passionately endorses the view that social media platforms are intentionally addictive. "Smartphones have become as addictive for teens as cigarettes were until two decades ago," Bennett wrote in his book.
When Bennett, a senior fellow at the McDonald-Laurier Institute, began researching cellphone restriction policies in Canadian classrooms in 2024, he discovered the larger, often overlooked issue was social media addiction itself. His work has helped bring attention to what he sees as a critical public health concern.
The Path Forward
Canadian experts believe these lawsuits could fundamentally change how social media companies operate. "I think with these lawsuits, and the more that are successful, companies will be put in a position where they have to be proactive in trying to play their part in making sure that their products aren't harming kids," one expert noted.
As legal pressure mounts and public awareness grows, the expectation is that social media giants will need to redesign their platforms with greater consideration for user wellbeing, particularly for vulnerable youth populations. The combination of legal accountability and evolving public understanding may finally force meaningful changes to how these influential platforms engage with their youngest users.
