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In the last few months, major tech companies have started losing ground in court.
A growing number of lawsuits claim that social media platforms were intentionally designed to be addictive—and that this design has caused real harm to children and families.
For parents, this raises an important question:
Is it safe for my kids to use social media at all?
What Are These Lawsuits About?
There were two key lawsuits that reached guilty verdicts against big tech recently – one in New Mexico against Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp) for failing to adequately protect young users from predators, and one in California against Meta & YouTube for deliberately designing their apps to be addictive. At the center of both of these cases is the concept of addictive design.
This includes features like:
- Infinite scrolling with no natural stopping point
- Algorithm-driven content feeds designed to maximize engagement
- These algorithms consistently feed harmful content (related to body dysmorphia, sensuality, suicide/self-harm, etc.) to young users that’s highly stimulating and addictive.
- Notifications that pull users back into apps constantly
- Personalized content that exploits emotional triggers
These aren’t accidental features—they are deliberate product decisions designed to keep users on the platform as long as possible.
And now, courts are beginning to determine whether those decisions come with responsibility.
Why Are These Big Tech Verdicts Important?
First off, winning any trial against a mega corporation is a big deal, since they have limitless money to throw at lawyers and often settle out of court for large sums of money to maintain a better public image. So major props to the victims for not taking their bribes and making.
For social media harm specifically, Big Tech has avoided any and all liability for years by hiding behind Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. As if using a law from 1996 that’s supposed to regulate modern social media companies isn’t already problematic enough, the main concept from the section that they use is that platforms like theirs can’t be held liable for the content their users posted. Lawsuits for over a decade basically amounted to
“Oh, you want to blame us that your child committed self-harm after watching self-harm videos (or [insert any other horrible thing that social media has facilitated and amplified]) on our platform? Not our problem; we didn’t post that. Take it up with the random user that did post that.”
And this worked! For countless lawsuits over the last 10+ years… Until now.
By focusing on addictive design rather than the posted content itself, prosecutors were able to expose the damage that these platforms maliciously and intentionally cause for the purpose of hooking users and selling more ads.
There’s no law they can hide behind with this argument. I eagerly anticipate more rulings that will bring justice to more victims and cause these platforms to change their designs for the betterment of society.
Why This Matters for Kids
Children and teens are not “smaller adults.” Their brains are still developing—especially in areas related to impulse control, decision-making, and reward processing.
That matters because:
- Kids are more sensitive to dopamine-driven feedback loops
- They have less ability to self-regulate screen time
- They are more vulnerable to emotional and social pressure online
This is exactly why so many parents are seeing:
- Devices that are nearly impossible for kids to put down
- Increased anxiety, mood swings, and sleep disruption
- Early exposure to harmful or explicit content
As I always note in my Internet Safety Plans, excessive and unstructured tech use can amplify risks like mental health challenges and exposure to inappropriate content—especially as screen time increases.
The Biggest Misconception Parents Have
Many parents assume this is primarily a discipline issue:
“My child just needs better self-control.”
But these lawsuits highlight a different reality:
This is a tech design issue.
When platforms are engineered to override stopping cues and maximize engagement, expecting kids to manage that environment alone is unrealistic.
Even many adults – including me! – struggle with it.
What These Lawsuits Will Not Fix
It’s important to stay realistic about what comes next. The only penalties from these law suits (so far) have been monetary. No platform changes were required by the judges, though further rulings and public outcry will hopefully change that soon.
These legal challenges do not mean:
- Social media will suddenly become safe
- Addictive features will disappear overnight
- Tech companies will prioritize wellbeing over engagement
Change will likely be slow and incomplete, unfortunately.
This means families still need to take ownership of their digital environment.
What Parents Can Do
Rather than waiting for platforms to change, the most effective approach is proactive.
Here are some things I recommend:
1. Build an Intentional Tech Environment
Don’t rely on default settings. Know:
- What devices your kids use
- What apps they have access to
- What content they can reach
Use the Tech Environment template in my Resources section to cleanly manage your list of devices and controls.
2. Set Clear Time Boundaries
Unlimited access is where most problems begin.
Start with:
- No phones at night
- Defined daily screen limits
- Tech-free times during the day
3. Delay Social Media
The later, the better.
I (and many experts in adolescent mental health fields) recommend waiting until at least age 16 due to the developmental impact and risk of these platforms.
4. Focus on Relationship, Not Just Restrictions
Controls alone are not enough.
You need:
- Ongoing conversations
- Shared understanding of risks
- A family vision for how technology should be used
5. Create Tech-Free Norms and Traditions
Your kids need to experience life without constant digital stimulation.
This helps reset expectations and reduces dependency.
Check out my Tradition ideas to kick-start your brainstorming
The Bottom Line
These lawsuits are important—not because they solve the problem, but because they clarify it.
They confirm what many families have already experienced:
The digital world our kids are growing up in is not neutral. It is engineered for attention and engagement.
And that means safety doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens by design—your design.
Where To Start
If you’re not sure where to begin, start simple:
- Define what you want your family’s relationship with technology to look like
- Identify your biggest current risks
- Put 1–2 boundaries in place this week
If you want a structured approach, reach out to me for a custom Internet Safety Plan to build a system that works for your family’s unique goals and needs.
It’s not easy being a parent in today’s tech-filled world, but you can do it, and I’m here to help however I can.
