Case tracker

Social media addiction lawsuits & cases

Claims that platforms were deliberately engineered to maximize compulsive use — infinite scroll, autoplay, variable-reward notifications — causing measurable harm, especially to minors.

3 tracked cases

• Ongoing

  First bellwether trial Jan 2026

  Social Media Cases (JCCP 5255)

  Meta/Instagram, Snap/Snapchat, TikTok/ByteDance, Google/YouTube · United States (California)

  California's state-court coordinated proceeding (the state analog to the federal MDL) consolidates roughly 800 individual and school-district cases alleging that social media platforms were designed to addict young users and harm their mental health. In late 2025 the court denied the platforms' motions for summary judgment, clearing the way for jury trials on product-design liability. The first state bellwether trial, KGM v. Meta & YouTube, began jury selection on January 27, 2026.

• Ongoing

  Filed Oct 8, 2024

  State AG Coalition v. TikTok (2024 addictive-design suits)

  TikTok/ByteDance · United States (13 states and the District of Columbia)

  A coalition of 13 states and the District of Columbia, led by California and New York, filed separate lawsuits alleging TikTok deceived the public about the app's safety and deliberately designed addictive features (autoplay, push notifications, beauty filters) that harm children's mental health, in violation of state consumer-protection laws. The suits cite internal communications including a staffer describing a 'slot machine' effect on young users.

• Ongoing

  MDL formed Oct 6, 2022

  In re Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 3047)

  Meta/Instagram, Snap/Snapchat, TikTok/ByteDance, Google/YouTube · United States (federal)

  Consolidated federal multidistrict litigation gathering thousands of personal-injury claims, hundreds of school-district suits, and state attorney general actions alleging that social media platforms were designed to maximize adolescent screen time and foster addiction, causing emotional and physical harms including death. By early 2026 it included more than 10,000 individual cases and nearly 800 school-district lawsuits. Snap and TikTok reached settlements in January 2026 ahead of the first bellwether trial.

Informational summaries compiled from public sources cited on each case page. Not legal advice. Verify current status with primary sources.