Active litigationUPDATED JUL 2026

Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Tracker

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Active litigationUpdated JUL 25, 2026

Social media addiction among children and adolescents has reached crisis proportions in the United States, with the U.S. Surgeon General issuing two consecutive advisories identifying social media as a driving force behind the youth mental health epidemic. An estimated 95% of teens ages 13-17 use social media, with more than a third reporting they use it "almost constantly." The platforms at the center of this litigation — Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook — are precision-engineered behavioral systems that exploit developing brains through algorithmic content amplification, infinite scroll, autoplay, streaks, beauty filters, and notification systems designed to maximize engagement at any cost. Research shows that teens spending 3+ hours per day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression. MDL 3047 has consolidated over 1,600 cases, and the K.G.M. bellwether trial began in February 2026.

From the docket

Litigation Timeline

19 ENTRIES
  1. July 2026

    Search Interest in Social Media Lawsuits Rises Sharplyregulatory

    Google Trends data recorded notable week-over-week increases in searches for 'social media trial' (+200%), 'social media updates' (+250%), and 'social media lawsuit update' (+150%) as of July 24, 2026. Related terms tied to social media generally, including 'social media news' and 'social media marketing news,' also showed rising search volume over the same period.

  2. July 2026

    Public Search Interest in Social Media Lawsuits Spikes Sharplyfiling

    Google Trends data detected on July 24, 2026 show week-over-week increases in searches related to social media lawsuits and litigation, including a 450% rise for 'tiktok news,' a 650% rise for 'youtube news,' and a breakout-level surge for 'morgan and morgan social media lawsuit' and 'health news today.' The data reflect public search interest only and do not confirm any new filing, ruling, or settlement.

  3. July 2026

    Commentary Urges EU to Target Addictive App Design Over Age Bansregulatory

    A commentary published by Project Syndicate argues that as the European Union considers how to protect young people online, it should avoid a blanket social media age ban and instead require tech companies to remove addictive design features.

  4. July 2026

    Aura Completes Acquisition of Qoria, Expands Online Safety Reachfiling

    On July 17, 2026, Aura announced it had completed its acquisition of Qoria, a company focused on online safety and wellbeing. According to a press release, Aura began trading on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker AXQ on July 20, 2026. This corporate consolidation may be relevant to observers tracking the online safety industry landscape.

  5. July 2026

    Aura Completes Acquisition of Qoriafiling

    Aura (ASX: AXQ), described as a global leader in online safety and wellbeing, announced it had completed its acquisition of Qoria, according to a PR Newswire release dated July 17, 2026. The release states Aura will begin normal trading on the Australian Securities Exchange on Monday, July 20, under the ticker AXQ.

  6. June 2026

    Federal Judge Rejects Meta's Motion to Dismiss States' Addiction Claimsfiling

    A federal judge rejected Meta Platforms' bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 29 U.S. state attorneys general. The states accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and of knowingly concealing the harm from the public. The ruling allows the case to move forward.

  7. June 2026

    Federal Judge Rejects Meta's Motion to Dismiss States' Addiction Claimsfiling

    A federal judge rejected Meta Platforms' bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 29 U.S. state attorneys general. The states accuse Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and of knowingly concealing the harm from the public. The ruling allows the case to move forward.

  8. June 2026

    Search Interest in Meta Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Spikes 300%filing

    Google Trends data detected on June 24, 2026 shows searches for 'meta social media addiction lawsuit' rose 300% week-over-week. Related terms like 'social media news today' surged even higher, suggesting broad public attention to social media legal issues at this time.

  9. June 2026

    Search Interest in Meta Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Jumps 300%filing

    Google Trends data detected a 300% week-over-week rise in searches for 'meta social media addiction lawsuit' around June 24, 2026. Related terms like 'social media news today' and 'social media news' also spiked sharply during the same period, suggesting broad public interest in social media litigation topics.

  10. February 2026

    K.G.M. Bellwether Trial Beginsverdict

    The first social media addiction bellwether trial — K.G.M. v. Meta/YouTube — begins February 10, 2026 in LA County Superior Court. TikTok and Snap Inc. settled their portions of the case confidentially in January 2026. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies February 18-19, 2026. The trial will establish precedent for the remaining 1,600+ cases consolidated in MDL 3047 and is expected to set the framework for settlement negotiations.

  11. August 2024

    DOJ Sues TikTok for COPPA Violationsfiling

    The U.S. Department of Justice files a lawsuit against TikTok and parent company ByteDance for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The DOJ alleges TikTok knowingly permitted children under 13 to create accounts, collected their personal information without parental consent, and failed to honor parental requests to delete children's data. The suit follows TikTok's $92 million class action settlement for privacy violations in 2021.

  12. October 2023

    42-State AG Coalition Sues Metafiling

    A bipartisan coalition of 42 state attorneys general files a coordinated lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company designed Instagram and Facebook to addict children using harmful features including algorithmic amplification, like counts, beauty filters, and infinite scroll. The suit also alleges Meta violated COPPA by knowingly allowing children under 13 to use its platforms and collecting their personal data.

  13. May 2023

    Surgeon General Issues Social Media Advisoryregulatory

    U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issues an advisory on social media and youth mental health, identifying social media as a primary driver of the youth mental health epidemic. The advisory cites extensive evidence linking social media to anxiety, depression, body dissatisfaction, and poor sleep in adolescents. It calls for platform redesign, stronger age verification, and regulatory action to protect children.

  14. December 2022

    Epic Games $520M FTC Settlementsettlement

    Epic Games agrees to pay $520 million to settle FTC allegations of COPPA violations and dark patterns in Fortnite. While focused on gaming, the settlement establishes federal precedent for enforcement against technology companies that target children with addictive design and deceptive practices — precedent directly applicable to social media platforms.

  15. October 2022

    MDL 3047 Createdfiling

    The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation creates MDL 3047 — In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation — and assigns the consolidated cases to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California. The MDL consolidates hundreds of individual and institutional claims against Meta, TikTok, Snap, Google/YouTube, and other platform companies.

  16. October 2021

    Frances Haugen Testifies Before Congressregulatory

    Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testifies before the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, disclosing internal Meta research showing the company knew its products harmed children. Her appearance on 60 Minutes and subsequent congressional testimony catalyze bipartisan legislative action and provide critical evidence for the litigation. Haugen describes Meta's choices as "a betrayal of every parent who has trusted the company with their children."

  17. September 2021

    WSJ Publishes "The Facebook Files"verdict

    The Wall Street Journal publishes "The Facebook Files," a series of investigative reports based on internal Meta documents provided by whistleblower Frances Haugen. The series reveals that Meta knew Instagram was harmful to teen mental health, that the company's algorithm amplified divisive and harmful content, and that Meta had over 1 million reports of users under 13 on Instagram. The series triggers a global reckoning with social media's impact on children.

  18. September 2019

    Google/YouTube $170M COPPA Settlementsettlement

    Google and YouTube agree to pay $170 million to settle FTC and New York Attorney General allegations that YouTube violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. The settlement requires YouTube to implement a system for identifying children's content and limiting data collection on such content.

  19. September 2017

    Facebook Internal Research Beginsproduct-launch

    Facebook (now Meta) begins internal research studying the effects of Instagram on teen mental health. Researchers find that Instagram makes body image issues worse for one in three teen girls, that teens blame Instagram for increases in anxiety and depression, and that the platform's Explore page exposes users to eating disorder content they did not seek. The research is suppressed and not publicly disclosed until 2021.

Case results

Notable Verdicts & Settlements

7 ON RECORD

Confidential

Settlement2026-01-27

TikTok K.G.M. Bellwether Settlement

TikTok reached a confidential settlement with the plaintiffs in K.G.M. v. Meta/YouTube, the first social media addiction bellwether case. The settlement, reached January 26-27, 2026, removed TikTok as a defendant from the bellwether trial that began February 10, 2026. While the settlement amount is sealed, TikTok's willingness to settle before trial signals recognition of significant liability exposure. The settlement terms are expected to inform the broader resolution framework for the remaining TikTok cases in MDL 3047.

Confidential

Settlement2026-01-15

Snap Inc. K.G.M. Bellwether Settlement

Snap Inc. reached a confidential settlement with the plaintiffs in the K.G.M. bellwether case in mid-January 2026, removing Snapchat as a defendant from the trial. Snap faced particular scrutiny in the bellwether case for its streaks feature, which creates compulsive daily engagement, and for its role in facilitating contact between minors and harmful actors. The settlement signals Snap's assessment that trial outcomes would be unfavorable and is expected to influence resolution of the remaining Snapchat claims in the MDL.

$170M

$170,000,000

Settlement2019-09-04

Google/YouTube COPPA Settlement

Google and YouTube agreed to pay $170 million to settle FTC and New York Attorney General allegations that YouTube violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting personal information from children under 13 without parental consent and using the data to serve targeted advertising. The settlement required YouTube to implement a system for identifying children's content, limiting data collection, and disabling personalized advertising on content directed at children. At the time, it was the largest COPPA enforcement action in history.

$520M

$520,000,000

Settlement2022-12-19

Epic Games FTC Settlement (COPPA + Dark Patterns)

Epic Games agreed to pay $520 million to settle FTC allegations of COPPA violations and dark patterns in Fortnite. While primarily a gaming case, the settlement established critical federal precedent for enforcement against technology companies that use addictive design and deceptive practices targeting children. The FTC's findings regarding dark patterns, inadequate parental controls, and monetization of minors apply directly to social media platforms' practices and have been cited in MDL 3047 proceedings.

$5B

$5,000,000,000

Settlement2019-07-24

Meta/Facebook FTC Privacy Settlement

Meta (then Facebook) agreed to pay $5 billion to settle FTC allegations of privacy violations stemming from the Cambridge Analytica scandal and broader deceptive data practices. The settlement — the largest privacy penalty in history — established that Meta's business model systematically prioritized data collection and engagement over user privacy and protection. The settlement required Meta to implement new privacy governance structures, but critics noted the penalty represented less than one month of Meta's revenue and failed to change the company's fundamental business model.

$92M

$92,000,000

Settlement2021-02-25

TikTok $92M Class Action (Privacy)

TikTok agreed to pay $92 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the platform violated Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and federal privacy laws by collecting and sharing users' biometric data — including facial geometry and voiceprints — without consent. The settlement covered users across multiple states and highlighted TikTok's aggressive data collection practices, particularly as they apply to minor users whose biometric data was collected without parental consent.

Pending — trial began Feb 10, 2026

Jury verdict2026-02-10

K.G.M. v. Meta/YouTube Bellwether (Pending)

K.G.M. v. Meta/YouTube is the first social media addiction bellwether trial, which began February 10, 2026 in LA County Superior Court. TikTok and Snap settled their portions of the case confidentially in January 2026. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified February 18-19, 2026. The trial will establish critical precedent for the remaining 1,600+ cases in MDL 3047 and is expected to set the framework for settlement negotiations. The outcome will determine how courts evaluate the causal connection between platform design and youth mental health harm.

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