Attorney Jessie Paluch, founder of TruLaw, has over 25 years of experience as a personal injury and mass tort attorney, and previously worked as an international tax attorney at Deloitte. Jessie collaborates with attorneys nationwide — enabling her to share reliable, up-to-date legal information with our readers.
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy and clarity by the team of writers and legal experts at TruLaw and is as accurate as possible. This content should not be taken as legal advice from an attorney. If you would like to learn more about our owner and experienced injury lawyer, Jessie Paluch, you can do so here.
TruLaw does everything possible to make sure the information in this article is up to date and accurate. If you need specific legal advice about your case, contact us by using the chat on the bottom of this page. This article should not be taken as advice from an attorney.
Social media platforms are used by people across the globe for connecting with one another, keeping up-to-date on news, self-expression, and more.
Unfortunately, social media platforms have been found to have damaging effects on some young users, contributing to mental health problems and putting them at an increased risk for eating disorders, low self-esteem and other mental health problems.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook (Meta), has been a potential catalyst in the rise of mental health issues in young people.
Legal action is being investigated for the harm caused by social media usage, particularly Instagram.
Social media companies have grown to become massively influential in the past decade, and issues with how they operate and how users interact with their platforms are starting to become clearer.
Instagram is no exception.
A University of Pennsylvania study, conducted by psychologist Melissa Hunt, suggests that social media use increases depression and loneliness, and data points showed a causal link between time spent on the platforms and decreased well-being.
The way people tend to interact with Instagram has been studied by researchers, and while researchers say that length of time spent on Instagram doesn’t correlate to negative effects on mental health, the specific experiences young girls and women have on Instagram more so impact their mental health.
Instagram users experiences are unique from one another, but it’s been found that young users in particular who use the app for social validation experience mental health problems at much higher rates.
According to the American Psychological Association’s study “Exploring the relationship between frequency of Instagram use, exposure to idealized images, and psychological well-being in women“:
Internal Facebook researchers have known this for quite some time that Instagram is harmful for young users, most notably teenage girls.
Internal research presentations are quoted saying:
“We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls… Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression.”
Instagram has become a hotbed for sexual messages, harassment and exploitation of women and young girls.
Criminal proceedings have gone forward against men who have used Instagram to sexually exploit young girls, but according to Forbes, Instagram has a relatively hard time keeping sexually explicit content off of their platform.
Referring to a case involving a minor having her photos sold by a convicted pedophile, Forbes said:
“The case not only highlights a troubling corner of Instagram that acts as a marketplace for sexualized images of children, it also shows how easily those who exploit young people can elude banishment and return again and again, even after they’re arrested and charged.
Despite years of criticism for how it fails to protect children, most recently via the leaks of former employee Frances Haugen, Meta, with $118 billion in 2021 revenue, relies a great deal on unpaid Instagram users and journalists to identify wrongdoers, and has a tough time keeping them off the platform or disposing of what they might leave behind.”
Along with the damaging mental health effects social media addiction and use has on young users and their self-esteem, these sinister acts must be dealt with en masse by Instagram and Facebook (Meta).
Instagram is used by millions across the world, and it is overwhelmingly popular with young people in America.
According to Pew Research Center’s 7 Facts About Americans and Instagram:
The image sharing app was mentioned overwhelmingly in the Facebook Files, an investigative series by the Wall Street Journal that published leaked documents and presentations from an internal source at Facebook.
The leaked presentations are linked below:
Key findings from the leaked internal documents include the following:
The way people use social media has transformed greatly in the past decade with its increased popularity and accessibility.
Young people are now growing up with social media, and that further blurs the boundaries between real life and interactions on social media platforms.
Social media addiction is being widely studied now, and the mental health impacts of unhealthy social media use are beginning to reveal themselves to the medical community.
Pew Research Center published “Psychological Stress and Social Media Use” in 2015, and while not completely up-to-date with the more glaring issues social media presents in 2022, it shows that even seven years ago researchers were concerned with the mental health impacts social media may have.
This Pew Research Study analyzed stress of social media users and found that they were overwhelmingly more exposed to stressful situations and events they otherwise wouldn’t have known about without social media.
While social comparison wasn’t originally coined as a term in this study, it can be deduced that the questions asked point to the fact that social pressure and depictions of social comparison were pondered:
Our network of attorneys is currently investigating the viability of lawsuits against Instagram, Facebook (Meta) alleging harm.
Instagram has been proven to negatively impact adolescent health, contributing to low self-esteem issues, social anxiety, mood disorders, eating disorders, sleep problems, and other lasting emotional scars.
Teens and young adults who have used Facebook or Instagram and subsequently suffered from mental health impacts may be eligible for a lawsuit.
If you or a loved one have suffered from any of the following, contact us for a free consultation:
Damages in a personal injury lawsuit refer to any losses, economic or non-economic, incurred as a result of an incident.
In an Instagram Mental Health case, damages could include some of the following:
Other potential damages are possible.
As the legal pressure on Instagram and Facebook (Meta) grows, more damages may become viable in claims for compensation.
Social media addiction among teenagers has been found to have significant effects on their mental health. One recent development that highlights this issue is the Instagram mental health lawsuit. This lawsuit brought attention to the negative impact of excessive social media use, particularly on young people’s mental well-being.
The Instagram mental health lawsuit was filed by a former content moderator who claimed that the platform’s content had a detrimental effect on her mental health. She stated that she was exposed to disturbing and graphic images on a daily basis, which led to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This case shed light on the potential harm that social media platforms can have on the mental health of both users and content moderators.
The lawsuit also highlighted the addictive nature of social media, particularly Instagram. Many teenagers find themselves constantly scrolling through their feeds, seeking validation and comparing themselves to others. This constant exposure to carefully curated images of seemingly perfect lives can lead to feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and even depression. The pressure to maintain a certain image and gain likes and followers can be overwhelming for young people, exacerbating their mental health issues.
Furthermore, social media addiction can also contribute to feelings of isolation and loneliness. While it may seem like social media connects people, it often creates a false sense of connection. Teenagers may spend hours on their phones but still feel socially isolated and disconnected from real-life interactions. This lack of genuine human connection can have a detrimental effect on their mental well-being.
TruLaw is currently investigating potential litigation on behalf of those suffering mental health problems and other issues due to Instagram use.
We are strategizing how to effectively move forward with legal action.
If you or a loved one have suffered from mental health problems potentially caused by social media usage, particularly Instagram, you may qualify for a claim.
Contact us today for a free consultation or use the chatbot on this page to see if you qualify instantly.
Anyone who has experienced mental health issues as a result of using Instagram may have grounds to file a lawsuit.
If you find that you are constantly checking your social media accounts, even when you don’t need to, it could be a sign of addiction. Other signs include feeling anxious or restless when you can’t access social media, neglecting other responsibilities or activities in favor of spending time on social media, and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you try to cut back.
If you feel like social media is taking over your life and you have a hard time controlling your usage, it may be time to seek help or make changes to your habits.
The potential damages in an Instagram mental health lawsuit can include financial compensation for emotional distress, medical expenses, and loss of income.
Instagram can negatively affect mental health by contributing to feelings of inadequacy, self-comparison, and anxiety.
To report mental health concerns on Instagram, go to the post or profile you want to report, tap on the three dots in the top right corner, select “Report” and choose the appropriate option for mental health.
Experienced Attorney & Legal SaaS CEO
With over 25 years of legal experience, Jessie is an Illinois lawyer, a CPA, and a mother of three. She spent the first decade of her career working as an international tax attorney at Deloitte.
In 2009, Jessie co-founded her own law firm with her husband – which has scaled to over 30 employees since its conception.
In 2016, Jessie founded TruLaw, which allows her to collaborate with attorneys and legal experts across the United States on a daily basis. This hypervaluable network of experts is what enables her to share reliable legal information with her readers!
You can learn more about the Social Media Harm Lawsuits by visiting any of our pages listed below:
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AFFF Lawsuit claims are being filed against manufacturers of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), commonly used in firefighting.
Claims allege that companies such as 3M, DuPont, and Tyco Fire Products failed to adequately warn users about the potential dangers of AFFF exposure — including increased risks of various cancers and diseases.
Suboxone Tooth Decay Lawsuit claims are being filed against Indivior, the manufacturer of Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction.
Claims allege that Indivior failed to adequately warn users about the potential dangers of severe tooth decay and dental injuries associated with Suboxone’s sublingual film version.
Social Media Harm Lawsuits are being filed against social media companies for allegedly causing mental health issues in children and teens.
Claims allege that companies like Meta, Google, ByteDance, and Snap designed addictive platforms that led to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues without adequately warning users or parents.
Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits are being filed against manufacturers of transvaginal mesh products used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
Claims allege that companies like Ethicon, C.R. Bard, and Boston Scientific failed to adequately warn about potential dangers — including erosion, pain, and infection.
Bair Hugger Warming Blanket Lawsuits involve claims against 3M — alleging their surgical warming blankets caused severe infections and complications (particularly in hip and knee replacement surgeries).
Plaintiffs claim 3M failed to warn about potential risks — despite knowing about increased risk of deep joint infections since 2011.
Baby Formula NEC Lawsuit claims are being filed against manufacturers of cow’s milk-based baby formula products.
Claims allege that companies like Abbott Laboratories (Similac) and Mead Johnson & Company (Enfamil) failed to warn about the increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.
Here, at TruLaw, we’re committed to helping victims get the justice they deserve.
Alongside our partner law firms, we have successfully collected over $3 Billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured individuals.
Would you like our help?