Social Media Addiction Attorneys

Social media is widely used by millions of children, teenagers, and young adults. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube allow users to communicate, share content, and stay connected. But concerns have grown about what can happen when social media use becomes excessive, compulsive, or difficult to control.

How Much Time Are Young People Spending on Social Media?

Social media use is widespread among children and teenagers, with many young people spending hours each day on these platforms.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General:

• Up to 95% of teens ages 13 to 17 use a social media platform.
• About one third report using social media almost constantly.
• Teens spend an average of approximately 3.5 hours per day on social media.

Social media use can also begin before the teenage years. The Surgeon General reports that nearly 40% of children ages 8 to 12 use social media, even though age 13 is commonly the minimum age required by social media platforms in the U.S.

For some children, teens, and young adults, heavy social media use may interfere with sleep, school, relationships, activities, and emotional well-being.

Recent Lawsuits Against Social Media Companies

Meta, TikTok, Snap, and Google have faced lawsuits over the alleged effects of their platforms on children and young users.

Recent legal actions include:

• Meta: In 2023, a coalition of 33 state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit against Meta, alleging that features of Instagram and Facebook encouraged excessive use among children and teenagers.
• TikTok: In 2024, a coalition of 14 state attorneys general filed actions against TikTok, raising concerns about the platform’s design and its alleged effects on young users.
• Personal Injury Lawsuits: Separate cases involving Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube have been consolidated in federal multidistrict litigation.

These cases include allegations involving:

• Platform design
• Compulsive or excessive use
• Youth mental health
• Other alleged injuries

Recent Social Media Addiction Verdict

In March 2026, a Los Angeles jury reached a significant verdict involving Meta and Google, the owner of YouTube, in a case brought by a 20-year-old woman identified as Kaley.

According to ABC News, Kaley alleged that she began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 10 and that features of the platforms contributed to compulsive use, anxiety, depression, and body image issues.

After hearing the case, the jury found that:

• Meta was negligent in the design or operation of Instagram.
• Google was negligent in the design or operation of YouTube.
• The companies failed to adequately warn users about the alleged dangers of using the platforms.
• Their negligence was a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s harm.

The jury awarded $3 million in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages, for a total of $6 million. Meta was assigned 70% of the responsibility, or $4.2 million, while Google was assigned 30%, or $1.8 million.

Meta and Google disputed the allegations and have appealed the verdict.

The outcome does not mean that every young person who experiences problems after using social media has a legal claim. Each case depends on the individual circumstances, evidence, alleged injuries, and applicable law.

New Protections for Young Social Media Users

Legal action has also led to changes in how some platforms operate for younger users.

In August 2026, Meta reached a multistate settlement involving Instagram and Facebook. According to the New York Attorney General, the agreement includes additional protections for users under 18.

Among the changes are:

• A two-hour daily time limit
• Restricted access overnight
• Limits on notifications during school hours
• Hidden likes and reaction counts
• Restrictions on certain beauty filters
• An option for a non-personalized feed
• Additional parental controls

The changes place additional limits on how younger users interact with the platforms while giving parents more control over their child’s social media use.

What Does It Mean to Be Addicted to Social Media?

“Social media addiction” is a term commonly used to describe social media use that becomes difficult to control and begins to interfere with everyday life.

However, the American Psychiatric Association explains that social media addiction is not currently recognized as a separate mental health disorder in its diagnostic manual, known as the DSM 5 TR.

Because there is no official diagnosis for social media addiction, researchers may instead use terms such as “problematic social media use” to describe patterns of social media use that become difficult to control or interfere with daily life.

Possible Signs of Problematic Social Media Use

Behaviors that may raise concerns include:

• Spending significantly more time on social media than intended
• Reaching for a phone and opening social media apps almost automatically
• Repeatedly checking likes, comments, messages, or notifications
• Difficulty reducing or stopping social media use
• Staying awake late at night to continue scrolling
• Becoming anxious, upset, or irritable when unable to access social media
• Neglecting schoolwork or other responsibilities
• Losing interest in hobbies or offline activities
• Spending less time interacting with friends or family in person
• Continuing to use social media despite recognizing negative consequences

Showing one or more of these behaviors does not automatically mean a young person has an addiction. The frequency, severity, and effect on everyday life are important considerations.

How Can Excessive Social Media Use Affect Young People?

Problematic or compulsive social media use may affect a young person’s sleep, education, relationships, activities, and emotional well-being. The effects can vary depending on the individual, how social media is used, and the content they encounter. 

Short-Term Effects

Some of the first signs of problematic social media use may appear in a young person’s everyday habits and responsibilities.

Potential short-term concerns may include:

• Lack of sleep or disrupted sleep
• Endless scrolling or spending more time online than intended
• Difficulty concentrating or staying focused
• Less attention to schoolwork and education
• Less time for exercise, hobbies, and offline activities
• Reduced face-to-face interaction with friends and family
• Difficulty stopping or putting the phone down
• Strong urges to check social media or notifications

The American Psychological Association identifies spending more time on social media than intended, difficulty stopping, strong cravings, and interference with relationships or educational opportunities as possible signs of problematic social media use. 

It also recommends that social media use not interfere with adolescents’ sleep or physical activity.

Potential Longer-Term Concerns

Problematic social media use has also been associated with more serious mental health and emotional concerns. These may include:

• Depression or depressive symptoms
• Anxiety or persistent anxiety symptoms
• Low self-esteem
• Social isolation or loneliness
• Self-harm-related concerns
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
• Disordered eating and eating disorder-related concerns

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, children and adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems, including some of the concerns listed above.

However, social media use alone does not necessarily cause these conditions. Mental health is complex, and many individual, family, biological, environmental, and social factors may contribute.

Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating Behaviors

Social media content focused on body image, weight, dieting, fitness, and physical appearance may affect how some young users view their bodies and eating habits. Research cited by the American Psychological Association has linked appearance-related social comparison with poorer body image and disordered eating.

Possible concerns may include:

• Restrictive eating
• Binge eating or purging
• Misuse of laxatives or diuretics
• Excessive exercise related to weight or appearance 
• Eating disorder symptoms, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder

The APA recommends limiting adolescents’ exposure to social media content that promotes disordered eating behaviors, including restrictive eating, purging, and excessive exercise.

How Social Media Is Designed to Keep Users Engaged

 

Social media platforms use a variety of features designed to encourage users to stay active, interact, and return regularly.

Common engagement features include:

• Endless scrolling: New content continues to appear as the user scrolls.
• Personalized feeds: Algorithms recommend content based on a user’s interests and activity. 
• Autoplay: Videos or other content begin automatically.
• Push notifications: Alerts encourage users to return to the platform.
• Likes and reactions: Provide immediate social feedback.
• Recommended content: Suggests additional posts, videos, and accounts.
• Streaks and incentives: Encourage users to return regularly.

These features are not necessarily harmful on their own. Concerns may arise when they contribute to compulsive patterns of use, particularly among children and teenagers.

Dopamine, Rewards, and Repeated Social Media Use

Likes, comments, messages, and entertaining content can provide social rewards. The American Psychological Association notes that children and teens can be especially sensitive to social feedback.

For some users, this can create a repeated cycle:

• Check the app
• Receive new content or feedback
• Keep scrolling
• Repeat

Dopamine plays a role in the brain’s reward system, but the process is more complex than a quick “dopamine fix.” Over time, repeated checking may become habitual and more difficult to control.

What Are Dark Patterns in Social Media?

Dark patterns, also called deceptive patterns, are design techniques that can steer users toward choices or actions they may not have otherwise made.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, these techniques can make it harder for users to make informed choices or maintain control over their online experience.

Examples may include:

• Repeated prompts that pressure users to make a choice
• Confusing or misleading buttons
• Making one option easier to select than another
• Making it difficult to change settings, cancel, or opt out
• Hiding important information or choices

On social media, concerns may arise when these types of design techniques are combined with engagement features that encourage continued interaction with a platform.

How Social Media-Related Harm Can Affect Families and Communities

Problems associated with social media use may affect more than the individual user.

Parents and Families

When a child experiences serious behavioral or mental health problems, families may face:

• Counseling or medical expenses
• Changes in sleep, mood, or school performance
• Conflict over phone and social media use
• Time away from work to care for their child

Parents may also struggle to understand how their child’s online activity may be affecting them.

Schools and Communities

Social media-related problems may also affect schools and youth programs through:

• Student distraction and lack of sleep
• Cyberbullying and online conflicts
• Mental health concerns
• Academic problems
• Increased need for counseling and student support

Some school districts and government entities have filed lawsuits alleging that social media-related harms have required additional resources and support.

Holding Social Media Companies Accountable

Families across the country have filed lawsuits alleging that certain social media features contributed to serious harm.

These cases may involve allegations related to platform design, compulsive use, mental health, inadequate warnings, and other injuries.

When evaluating a potential claim, an attorney may consider:

• The age the person began using social media
• Which platforms were used and how often
• Whether use became difficult to control
• Which platform features were involved
• When behavioral or mental health changes began
• Whether medical or psychological treatment was needed
• Changes in school, relationships, or daily activities
• Other factors that may have contributed to the harm

No single symptom or amount of screen time automatically establishes a social media addiction claim. Each case depends on its individual circumstances, evidence, and applicable law.

What Should Parents Do If Their Child Has Been Harmed?

If social media use appears to be seriously affecting your child, consider speaking with an appropriate medical or mental health professional.

If you are also considering a potential legal claim, consider preserving:

• Screen time reports
• Account names, profiles, and usage history
• Relevant screenshots and communications
• Medical and mental health records
• School records
• Parental control settings
• Treatment expenses 
• Notes about significant behavioral changes

Avoid deleting accounts, messages, or usage histories that could be relevant to a potential claim. An attorney can help explain what information may need to be preserved.

How Our TORKLAW Social Media Addiction Attorneys Can Help

Social media addiction litigation is a developing area of law involving technology, platform design, mental health, and corporate responsibility.

If your child or young adult family member experienced serious harm that you believe may be connected to social media use, our attorneys can review what happened and help you understand your legal options.

Our legal team can help by:

• Reviewing when social media use began and how it developed over time
• Identifying which platforms and features may be connected to the alleged harm
• Preserving relevant account records, usage history, screenshots, and other digital evidence
• Reviewing medical, psychological, and school records related to the alleged harm
• Investigating which social media companies may be legally responsible
• Evaluating how the circumstances may relate to current social media litigation
• Pursuing available compensation when supported by the evidence and applicable law

Not every situation involving social media will qualify for a lawsuit. Our attorneys can review the circumstances and help determine whether you may have a potential claim.

Get a Free Case Evaluation From TORKLAW

You do not have to navigate the legal process alone. Our TORKLAW attorneys are available 24/7 for a free consultation to review your situation, answer your questions, and explain your legal options.

Call (888) 845-9696 for a free case evaluation.