Families sue Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube over deaths of 4 teens

The families of four teenagers who died by suicide are suing Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, alleging that using the social media platforms led to severe mental health and physical issues that resulted in their deaths.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Superior Court of Delaware, claims that the teens suffered years of harm from using the platforms, including social media addiction, severe sleep deprivation, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation.

The Social Media Victims Law Center, a legal advocacy firm, filed the complaint on behalf of the four families, who are from Minnesota, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The children, who died between July 2024 and September 2025, were ages 13, 14, 17 and 18 at the time of their deaths, according to the firm.

“Despite living hundreds of miles apart, their parents describe nearly identical patterns: once‑vibrant children who became anxious, withdrawn or depressed as their use of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube intensified,” the Social Media Victims Law Center said in a statement shared with CBS News.

Social media companies’ “actions have eroded public trust, misled policymakers, and created a national youth mental health crisis that has already cost us a generation and will take years to repair,” Matthew Bergman, founding attorney of the Social Media Victims Law Center, added in a statement.

Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube parent company Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Thursday’s complaint represents the latest in a series of suits filed against social media companies alleging that they are addictive and dangerous. In a landmark decision in May, a jury held Meta and YouTube liable for creating products that led to harmful and addictive behavior by young users.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here.

For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.