Problematic Social Media Use describes social media behavior that interferes with a child or teenager’s emotional health, relationships, school, sleep, or everyday life. From a legal perspective, these cases may involve claims that platform features encouraged excessive or compulsive use and contributed to measurable harm.

• Excessive or compulsive social media use that interferes with normal daily activities
• Depression, anxiety, sleep disruption, social withdrawal, or declining school performance
• Body image problems or disordered eating associated with repeated platform exposure
• Harm allegedly connected to addictive platform features such as infinite scroll, notifications, autoplay, or recommendation algorithms

Social Media Use Disorder generally describes a more severe pattern of compulsive social media use in which a young person struggles to control or stop their behavior despite significant negative consequences. Potential cases may involve serious psychological, behavioral, or physical injuries allegedly associated with prolonged or compulsive platform use.

• Severe inability to reduce or control social media use despite harmful consequences
• Diagnosed or clinically significant depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or other mental health injuries
• Self harm, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, hospitalization, or other serious injuries
• Wrongful death claims where families allege compulsive platform use contributed to a child’s death