Holding Meta Accountable – Instagram & Facebook Addiction Lawsuits

Facebook and Instagram – both owned by Meta Platforms, Inc. – have connected billions of people. But for many teens and children, these platforms have caused serious harm. If your child suffered issues like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm or suicidal thoughts linked to Instagram or Facebook use, you may have a right to take legal action against Meta. Pritzker Hageman can help families nationwide with lawsuits against Meta, alleging that Facebook and Instagram’s designs are defective and dangerous for young users. Meta had knowledge that its platforms were harming youth and yet continued business as usual. We intend to hold them accountable in court and push for safer social media. We seek justice for the harms done to children and families by addictive and harmful social media apps.

Why Focus on Instagram (and Facebook):

Instagram is often cited as the worst offender when it comes to teen mental health impacts. Unlike some apps, Instagram’s core experience revolves around personal photos, appearance, and lifestyle: fertile ground for unhealthy social comparison. An internal Facebook study (revealed by The Wall Street Journal) found that “We make body image issues worse for 1 in 3 teen girls” on Instagram. That is a stunning admission. Teens reported feeling “addicted” to Instagram, even when it made them feel bad, and felt “unable to stop” using it. Rather than fix the problem, Facebook downplayed it.

Facebook (the platform) itself has fewer minors now, but it was the pioneer in addictive features (the “Like” button, endless news feed scrolling). Both Facebook and Instagram use similar algorithms developed by Meta, and share features (Instagram even added Reels, similar to TikTok, increasing addictive short-video consumption). Meta explicitly targeted young users to boost growth. In fact, a former Instagram VP revealed that in 2016 that Facebook ordered employees to win over more teens to the platform, even as younger users were migrating to Instagram. So whether it’s Instagram or Facebook, the corporate strategy was: hook young people early, keep them scrolling, no matter the cost.

Teen Girl Laying on Ben - Anxious About Social Media

Common Types of Harm from Instagram/Facebook:

Eating Disorders & Body Dysmorphia: Instagram is flooded with images of idealized bodies, filtered selfies, and influencer lifestyles. The app’s algorithm can trap teens in an echo chamber of weight-loss tips, “thinspiration” photos, and diet culture. For example, if a teen girl clicks on a fitness model’s post, Instagram’s Explore feed may soon flood her with similar content, some of it extreme. This was the case for one young athlete who developed anorexia – one “innocent search” for healthy recipes led to an avalanche of extreme diet and workout videos on Instagram. Instagram’s design contributes to such disorders by promoting harmful content and causing addiction that makes it hard to break away. Facebook has had groups and pages where dangerous diet advice circulated as well. It’s not unknown for kids to need intensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, or body dysmorphia after their mental health was eroded by constant Instagram comparisons.
Anxiety, Depression & Self-Harm: Both Facebook and Instagram operate on social reward systems (likes, comments) that can significantly affect a young person’s self-esteem. Teens may feel anxiety over how their posts perform, or depression from consuming highlight reels of others’ lives and feeling “not good enough.” Instagram in particular can create FOMO (fear of missing out) and feelings of inadequacy. A 2023 Gallup poll found teens spending more than 3 hours/day on social media (often the case with Instagram users) were much more likely to report depression. Children can become socially withdrawn and in even more serious cases, can start self-harming, or expressing suicidal ideation after months of heavy Instagram use. Notably, Instagram’s content algorithm is known to have even suggested self-harm content to vulnerable teens – something our expert analysis can often trace via account data.
Addiction & Dopamine Loop: Meta’s platforms intentionally exploit psychological triggers. Features like infinite scroll, push notifications (“Your friend posted a new photo!”), and showing who’s viewed your story all serve to pull users back in frequently. Teens can get obsessed with checking Instagram – during class, late at night – leading to sleep deprivation and distraction. Some neuroscience studies indicate social media triggers similar brain pathways as gambling or substance addiction and Meta never put effective limits or warnings despite seeing teens say “we can’t stop ourselves.” Instead, they publicly insisted social media was not harmful, misleading users and parents. We believe Meta should have to pay for addiction-related damages and implement changes (like optional time limits, stronger parental controls by default, etc.).
Cyberbullying & Online Abuse: While user behavior is a factor here, Instagram and Facebook provided tools that could easily amplify bullying. An embarrassing photo can go viral at a school in hours via Instagram. Anonymous questions, group chats excluding one person, or cruel comments – these happen on the platforms. There have been instances where severe bullying on Instagram (or Facebook Messenger among school peers) led a teen to attempt suicide. Our legal argument isn’t that Meta is responsible for every cruel user, but that they failed to moderate known harms (e.g., they have AI to detect nudity for ads, but what about detecting and flagging harassing messages to minors?). Also, features like allowing strangers to DM minors or recommending connections can expose kids to harassment. Meta has made some improvements lately (under pressure), but for many it’s too little, too late.

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Meta’s Legal Battles So Far:

Meta (Facebook/Instagram) is a key defendant in the nationwide social media MDL (a legal action involving many plaintiffs) in California federal court. They have tried to dismiss these cases, arguing the suits are really about user content or that parents are responsible. Judges have largely rejected Meta’s defenses, at least for claims about design defects and failures to warn. For instance, one court ruled that neither Section 230 (the so called, “safe harbor law”) nor the First Amendment protects Meta from a claim that its lack of age verification and unlimited usage design caused harm. That means cases against Meta are moving forward toward trial, a huge breakthrough. Additionally, multiple state Attorneys General have sued Meta under state consumer laws – e.g., in late 2023 and 2024, states like Minnesota and California filed suits accusing Meta of fueling a youth mental health crisis through deceptive and unlawful practices. These government actions bolster our argument by highlighting Meta’s misconduct on an official level.

Meta is responding to these lawsuits by denying wrongdoing, claiming they offer safety tools and even disputing the interpretation of their own research. But internal evidence and whistleblower leaks severely undercut their stance. We expect Meta to fight fiercely – they have billions at stake – but our firm is prepared. Mark Zuckerberg himself may well be called to answer why, for example, he didn’t disclose internal findings to Congress. When you join this fight, you become part of a larger effort that could force Meta to make substantive changes (like adjusting algorithms or funding mental health initiatives) as part of any resolution.

How Pritzker Hageman Can Help with Meta Cases:

Our attorneys have the experience and resources to go up against huge companies like Meta. We have experts who can look at your child’s Instagram/Facebook activity and log files to gather evidence:

We can subpoena account data from Meta – which might show usage hours, content engaged with, and any reports/flags (Meta tracks if users report being harassed, etc.). This data helps establish cause and effect.
We work with psychologists who can testify how Instagram’s content likely triggered or exacerbated a clinical disorder in your child.
We connect timeline dots: For example, if your child was doing fine until mid-2020 when they got Instagram, and six months later they’re in therapy for anxiety and an eating disorder, that temporal link is crucial. We strengthen it with expert opinion and possibly the child’s own testimony (if appropriate) about how they felt drawn in by the app.
We keep on top of legal strategy by collaborating with national firms in the MDL (if your case is filed in federal court, it may become part of that MDL). We ensure your family’s voice doesn’t get lost in a large litigation – we give personal attention while also leveraging the resources of the broader effort.

Real World Example: The Koziol Case – In TIME magazine, the story of Caroline Koziol was highlighted. She was a thriving athlete who fell into anorexia after Instagram and TikTok fed her endless content on extreme workouts and dieting during the pandemic. Now she’s one of the plaintiffs suing Meta. This is just one of hundreds of similar stories. Perhaps your child’s story parallels this. By coming forward, Caroline not only seeks justice for herself but hopes to reshape how social media operates. Our firm treats every client’s case with this dual purpose: compensation for the individual and pushing for industry change.

If your son or daughter has been hurt by Instagram or Facebook, don’t hesitate to reach out. Meta must be held accountable for prioritizing engagement over safety. By taking legal action, you’re sending a message that our children are more important than Big Tech’s profits.

Contact us for a Free Case Review regarding an Instagram/Facebook-related harm. We will discuss your specific situation privately and outline a strategy. There are strict time limits (statutes of limitations) for filing these claims – often 1 to 3 years from when harm became apparent, depending on your state – so it’s important to consult an attorney as soon as possible.

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