Social Media Addiction

In the news lately you may have seen mentions of the various lawsuits against social media companies alleging various causes of action and damages claiming social media is harmful to children. In this family law blog, we venture outside the topic of family law to focus social media addiction and the recent lawsuits and verdicts against social media companies because the topic is something parents may be and possibly should be interested in; and examine the latest research and expert opinions on the potential harm of social media to our young folks.

Just this month, a jury in California found Meta (which owns Facebook and Instagram) and YouTube negligent in causing additions to the social media platforms.  The Plaintiff (now 20 years old) in this case, decided in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, claimed the purposeful design was intended to and did cause the Plaintiff to addictively use the platforms starting at age six. Among other functions of the platforms, the Plaintiff’s attorneys argued that several key stimulating features contributed to her compulsive social media use, including: the never-ending scroll, near constant notifications, and algorithmic recommendations. The Plaintiff alleged the platforms led to several ailments including suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia.  

In what was a key component in the Plaintiff’s case, her attorneys presented the jury with internal documents from the social media giants that proved company leaders knew about the addictive nature of the site’s functions and their potential effects on children.  Even worse, these documents contained evidence that the company executives purposefully designed the products to lure and addict child users of the Meta and YouTube.  The jury spent a month deliberating over the evidence presented by both sides in the trial. In the end, they found in favor of the Plaintiff, ordering Meta to pay her 2.1 million dollars, and YouTube to pay her nine-hundred thousand dollars. Not bad! Yet there was more, the jury awarded her another 3 million dollars in punitive damages finding.  This jury verdict is considered a landmark case and is likely to usher in many more lawsuits with similar fact patterns against the social media behemoths.  Some commentators believe the future lawsuits could be similar in size to those against big tobacco companies, who were found to have intentionally withheld information from consumers regarding the risks of cancer associated with tobacco use.

In a separate lawsuit decided in the state of New Mexico, Meta suffered another loss in court, this time in a case alleging that the social media platform is damaging to children’s mental health, and violates New Mexico state consumer protection laws. The New Mexico Attorney General’s Office presented evidence that Meta made misleading and untrue statements and engaged in behavior intended to take advantage of the vulnerabilities inherit in children and adolescents. In its decision, the jury discounted Meta’s claims that the social media sites fairly disclosed the risks of the site when a user signed up on the platforms, and also took considerable efforts to prevent harmful material from making its way onto the sites. To date, over forty state attorney generals have brought similar suits against Meta, alleging the social media sites are degenerating the mental health of the youth in their states and in this country.

Mark Zuckerberg didn’t get where he is by being a punching bag and not fighting back, and accordingly Meta has vowed to appeal both verdicts. Attorneys for Meta suggested these verdicts for the plaintiffs could violate constitutionally protected principles of free speech. According the company attorneys, “if you look at court decisions, they’ve recognized a number of times that you cannot hold a [social media] platform liable based on that platform’s publishing decisions."

IS SOCIAL MEDIA HARMFUL TO CHILDREN?

According to the Parent’s Foundation for Transitional Living, Inc., the most important thing when it comes to childrens' use of social media sites is setting appropriate boundaries. According to an article on the company’s website, the potential effects of too much social media use may include, among others, withdrawal from person to person relationships, lack of sleep due to late night social media usage, and heightened anxiety and stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, a U.S. study involving 12 to 15 year olds, showed three hours of social media use a day was linked to a higher risk of mental health problems. A study in the United Kingdom involving a similar age group found that teens who engaged with social media more than three times daily was a predictor of poor mental health and well-being.

What are some tips for parents to help protect their children from the deleterious effects of social media use?  

1.        Set Limits and Rules regarding social media use. Examples for practical limits on social media use include a daily time limit or rules such as no social media use before homework is finished.

2.        Use privacy settings.  Privacy settings help prevent your teen from sharing private information which could compromise their safety. 

3.        Monitor their usage.  Although this can be tricky, one way to monitor your child’s behavior on social media is to add them as a friend.

4.        Talk with your child about social media. Be sure to tell your teen that the content and images they may encounter are not always authentic and that they should never base their own beauty standards or self-opinions on things they see on social media.

5.        Encourage in-person contact with friends.  It is important to make sure your children interact in person with their person. Studies show that face-to-face social interaction has a tendency to reduce social anxiety.

Like anything in life, social media use should be balanced with other activities. Attorney Robert Davis at the Men’s Center for Domestic Resolution is a family law attorney based in Pleasant Hill, Cass County, Missouri. We represent men in divorce and child custody matters in Cass County and the greater Kansas City area, including Lee’s Summit, Blue Springs and Independence. You can reach our office at (816) 287-1530 or by visiting our website at www.kcmensdivorce.com.

Attorney Robert Davis at The Men’s Center for Domestic Resolution is Kansas City’s Men’s Right Lawyer.