Social Media Addiction
OpenACTIVECausation
Plaintiffs allege algorithmic amplification of harmful content causes depression, anxiety, and self-harm in minors. Expert testimony on dopaminergic reward pathways and internal company research (Frances Haugen disclosures) supports design defect theory. JCCP jury validated causation March 2026.
Defendants
| Entity | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Platforms | Platform Operator | Instagram & Facebook — primary defendant in JCCP verdict |
| Alphabet / Google | Platform Operator | YouTube — co-defendant in $6M JCCP verdict |
| Snap Inc. | Platform Operator | Snapchat — named in federal MDL |
| ByteDance / TikTok | Platform Operator | TikTok — growing exposure from AG actions |
Litigation Timeline
Intelligence Signals
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Park JJ, Potenza MN. Child and adolescent psychiatric clinics of North America. 2026 Oct.
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Bilston A et al.. JAMA network open. 2026 Aug 3.
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Kasem AA et al.. Journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing : official publication of the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nurses, Inc. 2026 Aug.
Feng L, Tan Z. Actas espanolas de psiquiatria. 2026 Aug 15.
Zhu J et al.. Frontiers in psychology. 2026.
Zhong CC et al.. Health science reports. 2026 Aug.
Li Y, Liu Z, Liu F. JMIR mental health. 2026 Aug 20.
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Tan IJ, DiOrio JL, Cohen BA. Skin research and technology : official journal of International Society for Bioengineering and the Skin (ISBS) [and] International Society for Digital Imaging of Skin (ISDIS) [and] International Society for Skin Imaging (ISSI). 2026 Aug.
Mueller J et al.. BMJ open. 2026 Aug 17.
Zwickl S et al.. Frontiers in public health. 2026.
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Qin A et al.. Journal of medical Internet research. 2026 Aug 12.
Kapetanovic S, Claesdotter-Knutsson E. BMC psychology. 2026 Aug 12.
Wei J, Song Y, Guo M. Frontiers in psychiatry. 2026.
Winschel J et al.. PLOS mental health. 2026.
Bilston A et al.. JMIR mental health. 2026 Aug 10.
Twenge JM et al.. Journal of mood and anxiety disorders. 2026 Sep.
Kaylor-Hughes C et al.. JMIR research protocols. 2026 Aug 7.
Coşkun F et al.. Medicine. 2026 Aug 7.
Petras IK et al.. JMIR formative research. 2026 Aug 7.
Zuo L et al.. Frontiers in psychology. 2026.
Mosco L et al.. European child & adolescent psychiatry. 2026 Aug 7.
Liu A et al.. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking. 2026 Aug 6.
Marchant A et al.. Journal of medical Internet research. 2026 Aug 6.
Key Facts
- Status
- active
Geographic Exposure
Eligibility Criteria
- ✓Minor (under 18) who used social media platforms
- ✓Diagnosed with depression, anxiety, eating disorder, or self-harm
- ✓Used platforms for significant period before diagnosis
- ✓Platform use substantially contributed to mental health injury