SOCIAL MEDIA HARM LAWSUITSin Miami

Social media harm lawsuits can be directed against large platforms such as Meta, Google, ByteDance, and Snap, holding these companies responsible for the exploitation of vulnerable users. The experienced attorneys at The Alvarez Law Firm understand the complex loopholes and intricacies of these types of cases and can help you to claim just compensation for your past, present, and future losses.

Preying on the vulnerable

Each year, social media companies rake in billions of dollars by exploiting children and teens who represent the platforms’ most vulnerable participants. Our attorneys will focus on proving that these companies knowingly created an addictive medium by designing specific algorithms to lure in children and young adults. The inherent “compare and despair” nature of social media has caused irreparable harm, with many users turning to eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.

How our social media harm lawyers can help

Our resourceful, dedicated attorneys will explore cases on behalf of families, kids, and young people who:

Utilized Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or SnapChat
Stayed on social media for over 3 hours a day
Became involved with social media prior to the age of 18
Suffered from an eating disorder, sleep disorder, anxiety, body dysmorphia, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and feelings, suicide attempts, or suicide related to their use of social media platforms
Underwent treatment for injuries or conditions related to their social media use

Giant corporations such as Meta should not be allowed to cause harm to young people without being brought to justice. Our lawyers are committed to exposing the ways in which social media companies act with impunity while shattering lives.

A dangerous business model

Studies reveal that 9 out of 10 young adults use Facebook or Instagram for over 3 hours a day. Young developing brains are critically impacted by exposure to social media and often develop mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

Social media platforms know how to manipulate their “feeds” to display content that younger users find irresistible. These types of posts create an enhanced, manipulated reality that serves the purpose of making the viewer feel less than, whether related to looks and beauty, wealth and success, or popularity and influence.

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram thrive on users’ desire to compare favorably to their idols, friends, and acquaintances. However, with such an onslaught of unmoderated imagery, teens and young adults often begin to experience low self-esteem that warps their lives and, in some cases, can even lead to suicide.

How Meta capitalizes on harming young people

Despite being aware of the negative effects that social media has on young people, platforms like Meta continue to structure their business strategy around optimizing user engagement in order to drive profits. They use complex AI technology and predatory algorithms to zero in on youth “markets” and scrutinize user data to better target ads to the most vulnerable. In 2019, Meta advertising generated nearly $70B. More screen time means more money for Meta, and the company doesn’t care that this means less sleep for teens, less health, and less self-esteem.

What are the key legal issues in social media harm lawsuits?

Technological defects

Social media products are designed to prey on the young and vulnerable, making them inherently unsafe for consumers.

Failure to warn

Social media companies failed to warn families of the risks to minors and the impact using social media would have on their mental, emotional, and physical health.

Negligence

Social media companies have known about the impact of their products on young people yet they did nothing to redesign their products or try to reduce harm. In fact, they did the opposite, creating features that would increase screen time.

Fraud

Companies like Meta market their products as safe while concealing the fact that the platforms are known to increase mental health issues, eating and sleep disorders, and suicidal ideation.

Known potential side effects of social media addiction

Meta’s own research reveals that the design, advertising, marketing, and promotion that occurs with Facebook and Instagram produce a wide array of damaging effects, such as:

Addiction
Fatigue
Depression
Anxiety
Self-harm
Body dysmorphia
Insomnia
Suicidal thoughts and feelings
Eating disorders
ADHD
Migraines
Eye strain

Instead of trying to reduce these harms, social media companies have only engineered their algorithms to get people to spend even more time on the platforms.

What compensation can be recovered in a social media harm lawsuit?

Damages awarded in social media harm cases vary based on the extent of the victim’s injuries and suffering. Damages may include the following:

Medical expenses for the past, present, and future
Lost income for the past, present, and future
Pain and suffering for the past, present, and future
Diminished enjoyment of life for the past, present, and future
Diminished earning capacity
Punitive damages when appropriate

Our committed, relentless social media harm lawyers will work to recoup the maximum damages for your losses related to the defective, dishonest, and predatory nature of social media companies’ marketing and design strategies.

About The Alvarez Law Firm

Founded by one of the nation’s most successful civil justice lawyers, The Alvarez Law Firm is a result-oriented trial practice with an outstanding record of multi-million dollar wins against large corporations, including Big Tobacco and Big Pharma. Our verdicts have recovered compensation for thousands of families seeking to deal with significant trauma, injuries, medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of earnings. With our unrivaled legal acumen, determination for justice, and access to a wide range of experts, we will fight for you and your loved ones, leaving no stone unturned.

Call The Alvarez Law Firm today to discuss your social media harm case and get started on the road to just compensation.