Youth mental health issues are at an all time high— youth advocates, school districts, parents, and even the Surgeon General alike are elevating youth mental health as a vital issue due to the long-term impacts on physical health, success in school, and future of the community. Many are lifting up the role of social media companies and their platforms in adversely impacting youth. 

Social Media Lawsuits 

A major multi-district litigation (MDL 3047) is currently moving forward against social media companies including Meta, Instagram, Snapchat, Tiktok, Youtube, ByteDance, Google, and Alphabet.

The lawsuit consolidates hundreds of cases filed by adolescents, parents, school districts, and attorney generals across the U.S. The central claims are that these platforms are “defectively designed” and that the “platforms failed to warn users of the risks associated with use” and have “harmed children’s mental health”. 

Bellwether trials, or “test cases” within a larger set of similar lawsuits in MDL 3047 are expected to begin late this fall. Six school districts were selected across the country, one of which being the Breathitt County Board of Education in Kentucky. These bellwether trails will determine potential liability and damages.

The Link Between Social Media & Youth Mental Health 

At the heart of these lawsuits is a growing concern about the impact of social media on youth and their mental health. As legal actions highlight the allegedly harmful design and addictive nature, research and public attention are increasingly focused on how social media usage may contribute to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges experienced by adolescents. 

Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation highlights the correlation between the rise of technology and social media and the youth mental health crisis. Haidt has also argued that there is significant research to demonstrate that social media is the cause of the epidemic of teenage mental illness. (He and his colleagues even created an ongoing open-source literature review here.) 

The Surgeon General’s advisory report points to several studies that have examined the relationship between social media use, mental health challenges, specifically anxiety and depression.

Together, the lawsuits, research, and coalitions point to a troubling picture of how social media is contributing to the youth mental health crisis. 

What Legislators Can Do 

Legislators have a vital opportunity to step in where platforms have fallen short, but also if current lawsuits against social media companies mirror those involving tobacco, opioids, and e-cigarettes, they could lead to state and local governments receiving millions of dollars to address related harms. 

Legislators should support policies and investments with evidence informed strategies. Pending social media settlement dollars, legislators should create mechanisms to direct social media settlement dollars (pending) toward positive childhood experiences. PCEs have been studied as an effective prevention strategy for ACEs and have been associated with supporting positive mental health and are linked to a reduction in economic burden.  

By investing in programs like out of school time programming, summer programs, and other activities that foster youth well-being and connection, legislators can transform youth mental health. 

Learn More

To learn more about the litigation, research on social media and mental health, and learn about how these funds should be utilized for positive youth development, check out Children’s Funding Project. 

Photo courtesy of Thadakun via Dreamstime.com