Social media companies face lawsuits over addictive platform designs and youth mental health

Thousands of lawsuits accuse major social media companies of intentionally designing addictive platforms, leading to youth mental health crises. The litigation targets Snap, Meta, ByteDance, and Alphabet, alleging their platforms cause depression, anxiety, and self-harm in young users. Initial trials are scheduled to begin in early 2026. These cases, compared to tobacco litigation, could result in multibillion-dollar settlements and reshape how minors interact with social media if successful.