TikTok has agreed to settle a high-profile lawsuit that accused the company of intentionally introducing design features it knew would make children “addicted” to social media.
The lawsuit was originally filed on behalf of a California woman identified in court documents by the initials “K.G.M.” Attorneys for K.G.M. described how their 20-year-old client began engaging with social media at an early age, signing up for YouTube when she was 8, TikTok at 10, and Snapchat at 11. Taken together, K.G.M. argued, these platforms had a profoundly negative influence on her mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and recurring body-image issues.
If TikTok had not settled K.G.M.’s claim, it likely would have been forced to trial in January 2026. However, K.G.M.’s lawsuit is only one of hundreds of cases currently pending against TikTok and other social media giants, including Meta, YouTube, and Snapchat. All make similar claims, alleging that the social media industry, much like Big Tobacco before it, knew that its practices were harmful but, instead of coming clean and warning the public, put profits above the well-being of its most vulnerable users.
The TikTok Lawsuit
TikTok and other social media companies have long relied on Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act of 1996 to shield themselves from liability related to harmful content posted and shared on their platforms. However, unlike many past lawsuits, K.G.M.’s claim did not seek to hold TikTok liable for failing to moderate objectionable content. Instead, K.G.M. argued that the way TikTok designed its application poses an inherent risk to children’s mental health.
The lawsuit provided multiple examples of allegedly harmful practices, both at TikTok and other social media companies. These practices include, but are not limited to, the following:
- The use of “beauty filters” on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, which are believed to cause or contribute to conditions like body dysmorphia;
- Corporate policies that sought to “compel users to come back more and more often” by making apps as “addictive” as possible; and
- Personalized and ever-changing algorithms that provide children with never-ending content that keeps them hooked and constantly scrolling.
TikTok, Social Media, And Children’s Mental Health
Experts have spent years sounding the alarm about social media.
In 2023, for instance, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office released an advisory on the “potential negative impact” of social media on children and adolescents. Social media use is believed to cause and contribute to:
- Cyber-bullying;
- Sexual abuse;
- Increased levels of depression;
- Decreased levels of self-esteem and confidence; and
- Mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and anorexia.
Some of these conditions can have lasting and potentially life-altering effects. In some cases, social media addiction can manifest as self-harm or, in a worst-case scenario, lead to suicide or attempted suicide.
The Potential Damages In A Social Media Addiction Lawsuit
If you or a loved one has been injured by social media addiction, you could be entitled to significant damages. Your damages will likely be dependent on a combination of factors, including:
- The cause of your injury;
- The nature and severity of your injury; and
- The laws or statutes that the social media company allegedly violated.
In New York, most personal injury lawsuits that involve “serious” injuries are not capped. This means that your family could secure the compensation you need to begin rebuilding. However, K.G.M.’s lawsuit made the news because it had little precedent; social media companies do not typically settle, and they often do everything in their power to avoid a decision that could cost them.
Do not take chances with your rights: call Jed Dietrich, Esq., today at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a social media addiction lawyer and schedule your free consultation.