Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok sued as families blame social media for teen deaths
Four US families have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap, alleging their social media platforms harmed teenagers' mental health.
Published By: Shubham Arora
Published: Aug 04, 2026, 11:17 AM (IST)
Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok have been hit with a new wrongful death lawsuit in the US, with four families claiming the companies' social media platforms played a role in the deaths of their teenage children. The lawsuit alleges that the platforms were built to keep young users scrolling for longer, while repeatedly pushing content that could negatively affect their mental health. The legal action adds to the growing scrutiny surrounding how major social media companies design and operate platforms used by millions of young people every day.
Families accuse platforms of creating addictive products
The lawsuit was filed by the Social Media Victims Law Center (SMVLC) on behalf of four US families. It names Meta, TikTok, Snap, and Google as defendants and alleges that their platforms -- including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube -- were intentionally designed in ways that kept teenagers engaged for long periods.
According to the complaint, the four teenagers lived in different parts of the US but allegedly showed similar behavioural changes after spending increasing amounts of time on social media. The families say their children, who were once healthy, cheerful, and doing well in life, slowly began to change as they spent more time on social media. They claim the teenagers became increasingly anxious, withdrawn, and depressed.
The lawsuit also alleges that the companies ignored repeated warnings from researchers, hid evidence about the potential risks, and created systems that profiled minors when they were emotionally vulnerable. It claims these systems tracked user behaviour to recommend content related to dieting, beauty standards, appearance-changing filters, and social comparison, which allegedly contributed to depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts while increasing user engagement.
Lawsuit follows deaths across multiple US states
According to the complaint, the four deaths took place between July 2024 and September 2025 in Texas, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Tennessee. Even though the incidents happened in different states, the lawsuit was filed in Delaware after internal documents from the companies were unsealed during separate state and federal court proceedings.
The families also argue that internal company documents strengthen their case. They claim the records suggest the companies were aware of the potential risks their platforms could pose to young users but failed to take enough action to reduce those risks.
Google responds
Among the companies named in the lawsuit, Google has publicly responded. In a statement shared with Engadget, the company said:
"Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work. In collaboration with mental health and parenting experts, we've built services and policies to provide young people with age-appropriate experiences, and parents with robust controls. We send our deepest sympathies to the families and are reviewing the claims in this lawsuit."
Part of a broader legal battle over social media
This is not the first time these companies have faced legal action over the impact of social media on younger users. Earlier this year, four US states sued Meta, alleging that Facebook and Instagram relied on addictive design features while misleading the public about user safety. Before that, Meta, Snap, and TikTok also reached separate settlements in a social media addiction lawsuit brought by a Kentucky school district.
As concerns around children's online safety continue to grow, several governments have also started considering stricter regulations on youth access to social media. Countries including Australia, Canada, France, and the UK have either introduced or explored measures aimed at limiting social media use among younger users.
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