Meta Lawsuit Attorneys in Rhode Island
If your teen suffered from physical or mental health conditions as a result of using Meta social media platforms, which include Facebook and Instagram, you might be entitled to pursue compensation for the losses they suffered. Leaked internal research has shown that Meta knew that its platforms were causing self-esteem and mental health issues among its teenage user base, yet it never acted to address the problem.
If you think you have a case against Meta, contact the Meta lawsuit attorneys at the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. today to schedule a free consultation. You can reach our office at (401) 751-8855. We will help you understand your rights and explain your legal options.
What Is the Meta Lawsuit?
The parents of a 12-year-old girl from Kentucky recently filed a lawsuit against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that their daughter’s “addictive” Instagram usage led to her being diagnosed with an eating disorder. In addition to struggling with anorexia, they have stated that their daughter engaged in self-harm and experienced thoughts of suicide as Instagram took a toll on her self-esteem and physical health.
This lawsuit referenced the Facebook Papers, which were leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021. The documents included in the Facebook Papers make it clear that Facebook was aware that Instagram was causing body image and self-esteem issues among young users and that it was especially toxic for teenage girls. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal’s reporting, a Facebook study found that 32 percent of teenage girls who had a negative view of their bodies felt even worse about their body image after using Instagram. The report also noted that 14 percent of boys experienced lowered self-esteem after using the platform.
While internal studies demonstrated that a majority of teens were not negatively affected by Instagram, researchers found that many of Instagram’s fundamental features were also some of the most likely to harm affected teens. For example, Instagram’s Explore feature may lure teenagers into viewing content that hurts their self-esteem. So far, Instagram and its parent company Meta have failed to find ways to deal with this issue while also increasing engagement.
According to the Meta lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in early June, the plaintiffs have alleged that after their daughter signed up for Instagram at age 11 (Instagram has a minimum age requirement of 13), Instagram’s AI swiftly directed her to content that glorified eating disorders and self-harm and facilitated her addiction to the platform.
According to attorneys for the plaintiffs, this is the first civil action to heavily reference the Facebook Papers and to demonstrate the harmful real-world effect of Meta’s inaction. The lawsuit also purports that Meta has specifically targeted younger users in an attempt to attract them to their platforms, as revealed in documents leaked by Haugen. Through their research, the company knew about the effect that its platforms were having on young kids and failed to do anything to resolve the issue. In fact, they continued to operate as if the problem did not exist.
Compensation Available through a Meta Lawsuit
Depending on the circumstances of your case and the specific losses that your teen suffered, you might be able to recover financial and non-financial damages through a Meta lawsuit, including:
- Medical expenses related to treating your teen’s eating disorder, self-inflicted injuries, and other physical conditions (i.e., hospital bills, doctor’s visits, prescription medications, and rehabilitative care)
- Mental health counseling costs
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering, mental anguish, depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues
- Wrongful death, if you lost your teen because of their interaction with Meta’s Instagram or Facebook
The Meta lawsuit filed in California’s Northern District is the first of its kind, which is why it is crucial to hire an experienced civil litigation attorney to handle your case. At the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd., our skilled trial lawyers are intimately familiar with the Facebook Papers and Meta policies, and we have extensive experience advocating for our clients in a range of civil actions.
While you are not required to retain legal counsel, you stand a much better chance of winning your case and securing compensation by hiring an attorney to represent you. Our lawyers have the knowledge and resources to provide you with competent legal advice, fiercely defend your child’s rights in court, and build a strong case for financial relief on your behalf.
How You Can Protect Your Children from Social Media
If you are concerned about your teenager’s social media usage and the effect it may be having on their mental and physical health, there are steps you can take to protect them. Some common signs of social media addiction include:
- Inability to concentrate on other activities because of social media use
- Decreased interest in real-world activities and relationships
- Visiting social media sites constantly
- Checking social media when it is dangerous to do so, such as when operating a vehicle
If you think your child is addicted to social media, you can do things such as taking away their cell phone for charging at night, setting limits on the amount of time your child spends on their phone, utilizing parental control software, and asking your child for their password so that you can access their device if necessary. While no parent wants to be overbearing, it’s a good idea to set boundaries when it comes to your child’s daily social media usage.
Contact a Rhode Island Meta Lawsuit Lawyer Today
If you believe that your teen suffered physical or mental harm because of Meta’s inaction, you might qualify to pursue damages through a civil lawsuit against the company. Meta has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its users, and as evidenced by the leaked internal studies, it is clear that rather than resolve the problems that have been causing teenagers (and especially teen girls) to struggle with self-esteem issues and develop a negative view of themselves, the company did nothing. They put profits and engagement above the health and safety of young users on their platforms.
If you think that Meta’s negligence contributed to your teen’s condition, contact the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. for a free consultation. We will review your situation, determine whether you have a valid case, and attempt to gauge the likely outcome of your case. Reach out to our Rhode Island Meta lawsuit attorneys at (401) 751-8855 to schedule your appointment.
