A family has sued Meta, claiming that their teenage daughter’s “addictive” use of Instagram is behind her eating disorder, self-harm, and thoughts of suicide.
Girl’s “addictive” Instagram use was behind her eating disorder, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts
A family sued Meta as a result of their pre-teen daughter’s eating disorder. The lawsuit heavily citing the trove of leaked Facebook papers claims Alexis Spence’s “addictive” Instagram use was behind her eating disorder, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts over several years.
Filed in the Northern District of California, the lawsuit brings up the Facebook Papers, internal company documents that state its own research shows that Instagram had a significant mental-health impact on teenage girls.
Last year, a Facebook whistleblower disclosed several internal Meta documents to the US Security Exchange Commission and the US Congress, alleging how Instagram targeted tweens calling them “herd animals” who “want to find communities where they can fit in.”
More on the lawsuit against Meta
The lawsuit is filed by the Social Media Victims Center. The Seattle-based group advocates for families of teenagers harmed online.
As per the lawsuit, Alexis Spence, currently, 19, first started using Instagram when she was 11. This is despite the platform’s minimum age of use being 13 years. Court papers reveal that Alexis was a “confident and happy” child. (https://www.smallhandsbigart.com/) However, she was hospitalized due to anxiety, depression, and anorexia. She is in recovery due to the harmful content and features Instagram relentlessly promoted and provided to her in its effort to increase engagement.
“You look at the extensive research that it (Meta) performed, they knew exactly what they were doing to kids, and they kept doing it,” stated Matthew P Bergman.
“I wish I could say that Alexis’ case is aberrational. It’s not. The only aberration is that she survived,” he added. Bergman represents the Spence family and is the founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center. He is also representing Tammy Rodriguez, the mother of an 11-year-old girl from Connecticut who committed suicide. The girl’s mother is suing Snapchat and Meta for their role in her daughter’s death.