Instagram Lawsuits

People are filing lawsuits against Instagram and its parent company, Meta, because of the alleged negative effects their apps have on mental health. Evidence uncovered in these lawsuits links problematic use of social media to increased risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicidal ideation.

Client profile

A young woman filed a lawsuit in California after attempting suicide three times as a child. According to the plaintiff, she started using Instagram at 12 years old and quickly began spending many hours a day on the social media site. Her case says addiction to Instagram led her to develop an eating disorder and become depressed, causing her to make multiple attempts to end her life.

Lawsuits allege that Instagram has used behavior manipulation tactics to keep users hooked on the application. These tactics include intermittent variable rewards. This behavioral research term describes rewards given at unpredictable times and in unpredictable amounts.

On Instagram, these rewards can include likes, comments, reposts and shares. These are all ways for users to engage with other people and signal their approval of them. Instagram users click or tap a heart icon to show they like the content. Because users don’t know when they’ll get likes or how many, they may end up compulsively checking Instagram. And once they’re on the social media platform, the endless scroll design keeps them there.

In addition to personal injury lawsuits, 42 state AGs have filed lawsuits for Meta’s alleged role in a youth mental health crisis. Thirty-three states filed in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Nine AGs filed in their own states. The state AGs claim Instagram misled the public about its dangers and knowingly led users to compulsive use.

What states accuse Instagram of hurting mental health?

Thirty-three states filed suits in federal court against Meta in October 2023. The lawsuits allege Meta focused on maximizing profit by increasing younger users’ engagement times, falsely represented their safety, caused mental health issues and was aware of these harms.

These are the 33 jurisdictions filed in the Federal MDL: 

Individual Instagram lawsuits

Individuals are also filing Instagram teen mental health lawsuits on behalf of themselves and family members. These lawsuits are collected in multidistrict litigation In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3047.

People who may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against Meta include:

• Parents or legal guardians can sue on behalf of a child who was harmed by Instagram. Harms may include mental health problems and self-harm.
• Adults (18 or older) who were harmed as minors (17 or younger) may be eligible to file a suit on their own behalf.

You may be eligible to file an Instagram lawsuit if you’ve experienced any of the negative outcomes described below. Contact an Instagram lawyer to learn more.
 

School districts file lawsuits against Instagram

Schools and governmental entities are also suing social media companies. These lawsuits are filed over the costs associated with the ongoing youth mental health crisis. The school district cases place the blame on apps like Instagram for playing a part in this crisis.

Hundreds of school districts across the country are part of the litigation, which seeks millions to improve mental health care services for youth. The Siloam Springs School District in Arkansas recently joined the suit. Regarding the lawsuit, the district’s superintendent, Shane Patrick, said, “It's an opportunity for us to make a positive change in our culture and our country[.]”

If your school district was impacted by increased costs from social media, you may be able to file a claim. These costs might include:

• Additional counseling services and staffing to help students deal with mental health harms from social media
• Extra time spent reworking lesson plans to accommodate children’s shortened attention spans
• Investigating threats made against schools or individuals on social media
• Repair costs due to vandalism from social media “challenges”
• Training for teachers and staff about how social media has impacted students

People may be able to file Instagram addiction lawsuits for themselves or on behalf of a loved one. If you have any questions about filing a lawsuit against Instagram, don’t hesitate to reach out to a social media attorney at Motley Rice today.

Who can file an Instagram addiction lawsuit?

People looking to file an Instagram addiction lawsuit can benefit from the help of a lawyer with knowledge of complex litigation.

Motley Rice’s Instagram attorneys can help you determine your eligibility for an Instagram lawsuit. They can also help with:

• Gathering relevant information
• Understanding state laws and statutes of limitations
• Filing a claim for you

Our law firm offers support throughout the entire legal process.

What harms does an Instagram addiction lawsuit cover?

A variety of conditions are allegedly linked to Instagram use, particularly in young users. Many of these have been cited in teen mental health lawsuits against Meta, including:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Insomnia
• Self-harm
• Suicidal ideation and attempts
• Suicide

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), rates of hopelessness, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide attempts in adolescents have steadily increased over the past 10 years.

In need of help?

If you or a loved one shows signs of being suicidal, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. This free, confidential call will connect you with a trained staff member. You can also visit their website: 988lifeline.org.

If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of disordered eating, contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). The helpline is 1-866- 662-1235. They can also be reached through their website nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Instagram addiction is a compulsion to use the social platform. It is a behavioral addiction, which means it manifests in taking particular actions rather than using particular substances. People addicted to Instagram may have trouble with their day-to-day activities, jobs and academic performance.

Who is most affected by Instagram addiction?

Although all teens may be substantially impacted by Instagram addiction, girls may be the hardest hit. A 2020 study found that the more time a girl spends on Instagram, the more likely she is to suffer from an eating disorder.

Meta is aware of its impact on teens, according to explosive revelations of whistleblower Francis Haugen, a former Meta product manager and data engineer. In 2021, she shared documents showing that Meta knew Instagram could be harmful to users and that it was particularly harmful to girls.

Learn more about the statistics of who is harmed by social media addiction.

How does Instagram addiction happen?

Instagram, like other social media platforms, encourages compulsive use, much like slot machines in a casino. The apps’ user interfaces and features contribute to addictive use.

Instagram is designed to appeal to the brain’s need for intermittent variable rewards. Rewards cause the brain to release dopamine, a hormone associated with feelings of pleasure. Decades of science has shown that when rewards are provided inconsistently, people end up chasing that good feeling through compulsive use. On social media apps, “likes,” “shares” and notifications of friends’ activities are some of the “rewards.”

Additionally, for some people, social media engagement alone tells the brain to release dopamine. The dopamine release may encourage people to spend more time on Instagram.

Addiction to Instagram may cause serious harm.

Research has found that social media and online activity can have the same effect on the brain as addictive behaviors like gambling or substance abuse. Use can trigger the brain’s reward system by releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to enjoyment and pleasure. 

A person’s well-being can be jeopardized when they rely on social media for external validation and social engagement. App designs allegedly prey on this need, especially in young people. For instance, a reliance on likes and comments can create feelings of disappointment or low self-esteem.  

Instagram is designed to use the brain’s reward system to keep young people online, even at the expense of their mental health. Instagram does this through the following: 

• Flow states: Instagram is designed to have users scroll endlessly on the platform. The platform’s algorithm trains users to expect dopamine releases from time to time. This can induce a “flow state,” during which users keep scrolling to chase the dopamine release. This can be particularly hard for young people to break away from.
• Intermittent variable rewards (IVR): Likes can release dopamine as well. But users never know when their content will be liked or by how many people. Meta has recognized that these intermittent variable rewards negatively impact its youngest users but continues to offer this feature on Instagram.
• Selective notifications: Instagram’s notification system intentionally draws users back to its platforms. It limits the amount of information included in text and email alerts, so users must go to Instagram to learn what their connections are doing. This tactic can make people afraid that they’re missing out on important social events, which can be emotionally difficult for teens. 

Instagram features that contribute to teen addiction 

Instagram keeps users engaged through intermittent variable rewards (IVR), selective notifications and flow states. Over time, this continuous engagement can lead to addiction to the platform.

One example of an IVR and selective notification is a “like” on Instagram. A “like” is a form of engagement to express approval of a post. For kids, tweens and teens, “likes” act as social validation.

“Likes” are considered an IVR because notifications about them are often not delivered in real time. Meta may deliver these notifications when a user has not visited the application recently or is about to end a session. 

Beyond likes and other notifications, Instagram uses other features to draw users into the app and keep them there. These include:

• Instagram Live: This feature allows users to livestream content. Users can only interact with the video during the broadcast. This can pressure teens to join immediately, regardless of what is being streamed.
• Stories: Stories are visible on Facebook and Instagram for only 24 hours. Once they disappear, they cannot be viewed again. This feature can pressure young users to actively engage with social media or risk missing out.

Instagram’s design may have serious mental health impacts on young users, such as anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation.

Does Instagram cause anxiety?

Using Instagram may contribute to or cause anxiety. Several studies have linked Instagram use to a rise in depressive feelings and symptoms. Researchers have found a few common factors that may lead to Instagram anxiety:

• Activity type: One study found teens were more likely to experience depression and anxiety if they had multiple accounts or spent more time checking notifications.
• Social media overuse: Adolescents who experience problematic social media use are more likely to experience anxiety and depressive symptoms.
• Time spent on the app: Studies have found a link between increased social media use and anxiety. Researchers who surveyed teens in Canada, Europe and China also found a link between social media use and depression. Researchers also found psychological distress was linked to spending two or more hours a day on social media.

Internal research from Meta found:

• Social comparison fostered through Instagram could compound feelings of anxiety among teens.
• Teens believe Meta’s products harm mental health. A leaked internal presentation slide discussed how teens “blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety.” The report notes that “this reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.”

Does Instagram cause low self-esteem?

Problematic Instagram use may lead to lower self-esteem, especially in teens. Body image is an important aspect of self-esteem that may be negatively impacted by social media.

According to an internal Instagram report shared by a former employee:

• Young women often view and describe themselves differently before and after using Instagram. Their self-perceptions changed from “multi-dimensional” and “centered” to “dark,” “low esteem” and “anxious.”
• About 40% of teens have felt they were “not attractive” and attributed this thought to starting on Instagram.
• About 20% of teens said Instagram made them feel worse about themselves.
• Categories of harm from using Instagram included social comparison and pressure.

Negative self-perceptions can cause eating disorders, body dysmorphia, body dissatisfaction, depression and loneliness. 

Does Instagram impact sleep?

Instagram can impact sleep through compulsive use and disruptive notifications. The app’s notifications are intentionally vague to pique interest. For example, a teenager might get a notification that their friend commented on their photo, but the notification may not say what the comment is.

When these notifications come at night, they can interrupt a user’s sleep or wind-down period. A teenager’s developmental state means they often lack the impulse control to ignore the notifications. As a result, it can be easy for young adults to get drawn back online when they should be sleeping.

Instagram’s continuous scroll and replenishing Explore features draw kids into a flow state. A social media flow state means the user is fully absorbed into the app. The flow state can often lead to spending a lot of time on the platform without interruptions.

Does Instagram cause depression?

Yes, Instagram has been linked to depression by internal Meta studies, external researchers and anecdotal evidence. For example, internal Meta research found teens blame Instagram for increases in depression, even without being asked directly about it.

Further Meta research found that the app’s addictive nature can cause “a series of emotions that in many ways mimic stages of grief.” The research concluded that these emotions could lead to poor mental health outcomes, such as depression. Instagram depression is just one of the possible harms mentioned in a lawsuit for Instagram mental health harms.

Learn more about social media and depression.

Instagram and eating disorders

Instagram has also been connected to higher incidences of eating disorders, including anorexia. One study of about 1,000 seventh and eighth grade students found the following:

• Boys with Instagram accounts were significantly more likely to have engaged in disordered eating behaviors.
• Girls who used Instagram several times a day were more likely to score highly in measurements of disordered eating mindsets.

Eating disorders are a form of self-harm and should not be taken lightly. More research is needed to determine the exact link between eating disorders like anorexia and Instagram. However, eating disorders are a common injury in social media lawsuits.

Is there a lawsuit against Instagram?

Yes, there are lawsuits against Instagram. These lawsuits claim the company failed to warn people about the addictive nature of social media. The lawsuits also allege Instagram harmed children by coaxing young users to use the app more frequently, leading to negative mental health impacts like depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide.

Individual cases have been filed in state and federal courts. Governmental entities have also filed cases in both federal and state courts. Federal cases have been consolidated in MDL No. 3047 in United States District Court of the Northern District of California and presided over by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. California state cases are consolidated under the JCCP in Los Angeles County Superior Court and presided over by Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl.

Is there a class action lawsuit against Instagram?

A 13-year-old girl and her family are seeking class action status for negative mental health effects caused by Instagram use. The case, filed in August 2024, is seeking $5 billion in damages, which would be equally split among class members if a judge certifies it as a class action.

There was a previous class action lawsuit against Facebook (now known as Meta), but it was not for social media mental health overuse and addiction cases. It concerned privacy act violations in Illinois. The privacy class action was settled for $68.5 million. Motley Rice was involved in this litigation.

Can you sue Instagram for mental health?

Yes, you may be able to sue Instagram if you or your child experienced mental health harms from using the app. Common harms in Instagram mental health cases include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Self-harm
• Suicidal actions and attempts

To explore your legal options, speak with the legal professionals at Motley Rice, who have experience handling complex cases against large companies.

How bad is social media addiction?

Social media addiction can have severe effects on children and teens. The app’s design has been alleged to cause addiction, which may lead to mental health issues. Outcomes of Instagram addiction can include depression, anxiety, trouble sleeping and self-harm.

Motley Rice attorneys have worked for decades fighting for families. Our experience includes representing people dealing with the harm caused by tech companies. Our firm can assist if you or your child:

• Attempted or died by suicide
• Was diagnosed by a healthcare professional with depression or anxiety
• Was treated for self-harm, such as cutting

If you believe these conditions were caused or worsened by social media, our firm can help you file a lawsuit for social media harm. Your well-being is important to our team.

Contact a Motley Rice attorney to determine if you are eligible to file a lawsuit for Instagram addiction.

Help for suicide ideation and eating disorders

If you or a loved one need help, national resources are available.

• Call 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. This resource is free, confidential and available 24/7.
• Call 1-866- 662-1235 or visit nationaleatingdisorders.org to connect with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA).