Meta senior executive apologized for graphic content posts leading to teen suicide.

Michigan – October 1, 2022

A senior executive at Meta apologized for allowing a British teenager to view graphic Instagram posts related to self-harm and suicide before she took her own life. A London coroner has ruled a 14-year-old girl’s 2017 death a suicide resulting from harmful social media posts. The ruling came at the conclusion of an inquest into the teen’s death five years ago, according to The Molly Rose Foundation (MRF) established in the 14-year-old’s memory to prevent suicide among people under 25. The coroner of the Northern District of Greater London said the death was “an act of self-harm while suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content” and this material should not have been available for a child to see. This ruling was the first of its kind to place direct blame for a child’s official death on social media rather than simply correlating the two. A foundation representative stated that “The inquest has demonstrated very clearly the significant dangers social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest present in the absence of any effective regulation.” If government and tech platforms take action on the issues raised in the inquest, it will have a positive effect on the mental well-being of young people. A spokesperson for Meta, the parent company for Facebook and Instagram, said in a statement following the conclusion that the company is “committed to ensuring that Instagram is a positive experience for everyone, particularly teenagers” and would “carefully consider the coroner’s full report.”

Limited or lack of warnings.

Lawsuits against social media companies may be supported by the lack of warnings to the dangers posed by their use and victims who used the platforms before they turned 21, spend more than 3 hours per day and suffer from mental health issues may be able to build a case against Facebook and Instagram based on the lack of transparency regarding known dangers data researched by Meta. Depending on the harms to a victim’s health, it may be prudent to consult with a Michigan social media lawsuit attorney at the Neumann Law Group who can explain when legal action is warranted and how the process plays out.

Identified social media harms.

Mental health conditions may include:

Depression or depressive symptoms
Anxiety
Eating Disorders
Body Dysmorphia
ADHD
Self-harm or suicidal ideation
Any other diagnosed mental illnesses
Victims, or surviving family members in the case of fatal loss, should talk with a personal injury lawyer about identified negative health impacts that may include:

Victims of social media harms may need to prove that the negative mental health issues were not present before the extended use of the platforms and should consult with a personal injury lawyer about becoming part of a class action lawsuit.

Recoverable damage compensation.

Damage compensation in a personal injury lawsuit refers to correcting any losses, economic or non-economic, incurred because of an external factor. Any mental health struggles caused by Instagram or Facebook or any Meta platform may require compensation to cover:

Medical treatment costs,
Therapy costs,
Pain and suffering,
Emotional damages,
Lifelong disability addresses loss of income and professional training,
Other potential damages as identified in the Meta lawsuits.

Hire an attorney.

Individuals and families who are suffering through mental health issues and related financial insecurity caused by social media addiction or those who have lost a loved one through suicide due to a negative social media interaction should contact experienced Michigan personal injury lawyers to discuss their concerns. Michigan personal injury attorneys at the Neumann Law Group will guide victims as they decide on a course of action to recover damage compensation.

Neumann Law Group

Traverse City

300 E Front St #445
Traverse City, MI 49684
Phone: (231) 221-0050
Fax: (231) 221-0051

Sources: