Recommendation systems
Plaintiffs allege engagement-driven algorithms were designed to keep minors on the platform longer.
- Home
- The Lawsuit
The Social Media Lawsuit
Federal Social Media Adolescent Addiction Litigation — MDL No. 3047. An overview of the case, the platforms involved and why public school districts are evaluating claims.
The basics
What Is MDL No. 3047?
In October 2022, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated federal lawsuits alleging harm to young people from social media into a single proceeding: In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 3047. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
The litigation concerns allegations about how major platforms were designed and operated, and the effects plaintiffs say those choices have had on minors. Plaintiffs include individuals and families, and also public school districts seeking to recover the institutional costs they allege they have incurred.
Consolidating the cases lets one court manage shared issues such as evidence exchange, expert testimony and early “bellwether” trials, while each plaintiff’s claim remains its own.
Defendants
The Platforms Named in the Litigation
- MetaFacebook & Instagram
- TikTokByteDance
- SnapchatSnap Inc.
- YouTubeGoogle
Key allegations
What Plaintiffs Allege
The following summarizes allegations made in court filings. Defendants deny these allegations, and the court has not made findings of liability.
Endless feeds
Infinite scroll and autoplay allegedly remove natural stopping points.
Inadequate warnings and usage controls
Plaintiffs allege users and parents were not adequately warned of risks, and that effective time-limit tools were lacking.
Age verification and parental controls
Plaintiffs allege age checks and parental tools were insufficient to protect younger users.
Notification timing
Plaintiffs allege notifications were timed to draw students back, including overnight and during school hours.
In an October 2024 ruling on school district claims, the court allowed some theories to proceed and found others barred by Section 230 or the First Amendment. Which theories remain available is a question for counsel.
School district claims
Why School Districts Are Part of This Case
School districts are not suing on behalf of individual students. Their claims focus on the district’s own institutional costs: the money, staff time and programs they allege were needed to respond to student mental-health and behavioral effects linked to social media.
Whether a particular district has a viable claim depends on its own facts, its documented costs and the legal requirements that apply. That is what a confidential review is designed to assess.
Learn About District Eligibility
Why it matters
Why It Matters for School Districts
Districts allege that responding to social media’s effects on students has changed how they staff, budget and operate.
- Increased demand for mental-health services
- More behavioral intervention programs
- Higher administrative and support costs
- Greater focus on student safety and crisis response
Your district may have a claim.
Find out if you qualify for a confidential review.
Could Your District Have a Claim?
Counsel can explain the claims, the potential qualifying costs and what participation would involve, confidentially and with no obligation.