{"id":482235,"date":"2022-08-07T19:33:24","date_gmt":"2022-08-07T16:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/"},"modified":"2022-08-07T19:33:24","modified_gmt":"2022-08-07T16:33:24","slug":"meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/","title":{"rendered":"#Meta faces lawsuits over teen suicides and self-harm"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a36e9ff109b6\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a36e9ff109b6\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/#%E2%80%9CMeta_faces_lawsuits_over_teen_suicides_and_self-harm%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Meta faces lawsuits over teen suicides and self-harm&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/#Section_230\" >Section 230<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/#Self-harm_addiction_and_death\" >Self-harm, addiction and death<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/#%E2%80%98Knowingly_releasing_a_toxin\" >\u2018Knowingly releasing a toxin\u2019<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CMeta_faces_lawsuits_over_teen_suicides_and_self-harm%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Meta faces lawsuits over teen suicides and self-harm&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Meta is facing a fresh storm of lawsuits that blame Instagram for eating disorders, depression  and even suicides among children and teens \u2014 and experts say the suits are using a novel argument that could pose a threat to Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social<\/a>-media empire.<\/p>\n<p>The suits \u2014 which are full of disturbing stories of teens being barraged by Instagram posts promoting anorexia, self-harm and suicide \u2014 rely heavily on leaks by whistleblower Frances Haugen, who last year exposed internal Meta documents showing that Instagram makes body image issues and other mental health problems worse for many teens.<\/p>\n<p>The leaks provide proof that Meta was well aware its products were hurting children but chose to put growth and profits over safety, the suits claim. Some of the suits also name Snapchat and TikTok, which the plaintiffs argue have also pushed addictive products despite knowing the deadly downsides.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn what universe can a company have a product that directs this kind of vile filth, this dangerous content to kids \u2014 and get away with it?\u201d said Matthew Bergman, the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center, which has filed more than a half-dozen of the lawsuits. \u201cThese products are causing grievous harm to our kids.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/mark-zuckerberg-getty-01.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Mark Zuckerberg\" class=\"wp-image-23348979\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/mark-zuckerberg-getty-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/mark-zuckerberg-getty-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/mark-zuckerberg-getty-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Parents are accusing Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s Instagram of fostering mental harms in their children. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Section_230\"><\/span>Section 230<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Bergman faces an uphill battle due to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a law that has largely protected social-media companies from similar litigation. But Bergman also has a novel legal strategy based on Haugen\u2019s leaks that the families he represents hope will force Meta to change its ways. <\/p>\n<p>Meta and other tech companies have fought off lawsuits for years using Section 230, which was intended to preserve internet users\u2019 free speech by preventing web platforms from being held legally liable for content posted by third parties. <\/p>\n<p>But Bergman argues that the problem with Instagram is not just that third parties post harmful content on the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s that Instagram\u2019s design can intentionally route vulnerable users toward such content, as detailed by Haugen\u2019s leaks. Therefore, he argues, the company shouldn\u2019t be protected by Section 230.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s our belief that when you attack the platform as a product, that\u2019s different than Section 230,\u201d Bergman said. \u201c230 has been a barrier and it\u2019s something we take seriously and we believe we have a viable legal theory to get around it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/frances-haugen-getty-01.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Frances Haugen\" class=\"wp-image-23349123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/frances-haugen-getty-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/frances-haugen-getty-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/frances-haugen-getty-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Frances Haugen\u2019s leaks show that it\u2019s Instagram\u2019s addictive design choices \u2014 not just third-party users \u2014 that are hurting kids, the lawsuits argue. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Meta did not return a request for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Self-harm_addiction_and_death\"><\/span>Self-harm, addiction and death<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One suit centers around a Louisiana girl named Englyn Roberts, who committed suicide in 2020 at age 14.<\/p>\n<p>According to the suit filed in July in San Francisco federal court, Roberts\u2019 parents had no idea the extent to which she was quietly being \u201cbombarded by Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok with harmful images and videos,\u201d including \u201cviolent and disturbing content glorifying self-harm and suicide.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The more Roberts allegedly interacted with such photos and videos, the more the apps recommended similar content that kept her hooked in a vicious cycle. Roberts started exchanging self-harm videos with her friends, including one disturbing video in September 2019 of a woman hanging herself with an extension cord from a door, according to screenshots included in court papers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"706\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-02.jpg?w=706\" alt=\"Englyn Roberts\" class=\"wp-image-23349038\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1412 1412w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1059 1059w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=706 706w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=353 353w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 706px) 100vw, 706px\"\/><figcaption>Englyn Roberts, who committed suicide at age 14, was allegedly barraged by \u201cviolent and disturbing content glorifying self-harm and suicide\u201d on Instagram. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"743\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-03.jpg?w=743\" alt=\"Englyn Roberts\" class=\"wp-image-23349067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1486 1486w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1115 1114w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=743 743w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=372 371w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/englyn-robert-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 743px) 100vw, 743px\"\/><figcaption>Roberts became addicted to Instagram after she was given her first cellphone at 11 years old, her parents say. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In August 2020, Roberts appeared to imitate the video when she used an extension cord to hang herself from the door. Her parents found her hours later and she was rushed to the hospital. She was put on life support and died days later.<\/p>\n<p>About a year after Roberts\u2019 death, her father saw a report about Frances Haugen\u2019s leaks about Instagram\u2019s harms. He subsequently searched his daughter\u2019s old phones and social media accounts and uncovered her posts and messages about suicide.\u00a0<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignright\">\n    <\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWhat became clear in September of 2021 is that Englyn\u2019s death was the proximate result of psychic injury caused by her addictive use of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok,\u201d the suit reads.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This maneuver around Section 230 means \u201cMeta should be worried,\u201d according to a recent <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/technology\/2022\/06\/spence-lawsuit-instagram-meta.html\">analysis<\/a> of one of Bergman\u2019s suits by Gonzaga School of Law Professor Wayne Unger.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe reasons for Section 230 immunity fall flat with respect to Spence\u2019s lawsuit,\u201d Unger wrote. \u201cIf the primary beneficiary of Section 230 protection is the internet user, then it follows that platforms should not be allowed to use Section 230 immunity for the harms the platforms directly cause their users.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%98Knowingly_releasing_a_toxin\"><\/span>\u2018Knowingly releasing a toxin\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Bergman previously represented Asbestos victims before switching to social media lawsuits last year in the wake of Haugen\u2019s testimony.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo me that was basically everything I\u2019ve seen in the asbestos industry times one hundred,\u201d Bergman said of Haugen\u2019s leaks. \u201cBoth [asbestos producers and Meta] were knowingly releasing a toxin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Other alleged victims of social media represented by Bergman\u2019s firm include two other teens from Louisiana and another from Wisconsin who all committed suicide after being hooked on social media apps.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>An additional disturbing suit filed by a Connecticut mother alleges that her daughter killed herself at just 11 years old after becoming addicted to social media apps and being barraged by sexually explicit videos from strangers. The pre-teen girl even made a video of herself taking the pills that killed her, the suit claims. <\/p>\n<p>Other suits have been filed by victims who are still alive but who say they have suffered from severe anorexia, mental trauma and other harms harm due to their social media use.\u00a0\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/08\/07\/meta-faces-lawsuits-over-teen-suicides-and-self-harm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Meta faces lawsuits over teen suicides and self-harm&#8221; Meta is facing a fresh storm of lawsuits that blame Instagram for eating disorders, depression and even suicides among children and teens \u2014 and experts say the suits are using a novel argument that could pose a threat to Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s social-media empire. The suits \u2014 which&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":482236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/08\/newspress-collage-23330369-1659890674711.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1659876875&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[122306,132117,4974,33423,71741,47912],"class_list":["post-482235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-meta","tag-8-7-22","tag-facebook","tag-instagram","tag-snapchat","tag-tiktok"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=482235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/482235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/482236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=482235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=482235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=482235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}