A British Columbia class-action lawsuit accuses Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, of failing to warn young users and their parents about how social media can negatively affect mental health.
Meta says it is not responsible for the content that flows through its platforms, and it asks the court to dismiss the claim. The case, filed in B.C. Supreme Court, is being pursued on behalf of a plaintiff born in 2003, and the legal team has indicated it could represent others who were under the age of adulthood when they used Facebook or Instagram.
The allegations claim that Meta’s platforms exposed children to “harmful content,” including images and videos that promote risky behavior (such as dangerous challenges or extreme dieting), as well as health misinformation. The lawsuit further contends that such material contributed to or worsened psychological issues, including body-image concerns, anxiety, and other mental health problems.
According to the filing, children are more vulnerable to harm because areas of the brain responsible for risk assessment, emotional control, and impulse regulation are not fully developed.
The complaint cites internal documents leaked by former Facebook employee Frances Haugen in 2021, which purportedly show that company personnel were aware social media could have adverse mental health effects, particularly among teenage girls.
The plaintiff’s lawyers allege that continued exposure to harmful content—especially when repeated and prolonged—can precipitate serious conditions such as eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
Similar lawsuits have emerged in several U.S. states, including California, where a trial recently began in Los Angeles.
In B.C.’s case, the plaintiff, identified as A.B., reportedly joined Instagram at around age 12 or 13. The suit claims she struggled to disengage from content that worsened her self-image and body concerns, ultimately facing social-media addiction and multiple mental-health challenges, including anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, and suicidal ideation.
The claim states that Meta’s failure to implement effective age-verification measures or to inform users and their parents of the risks would have influenced whether she and others chose to sign up for Facebook or Instagram.
Meta counters that Facebook and Instagram are services, not products, and that applying product-liability principles to services would overstep established boundaries. The company also notes that much of the alleged harmful material is created by third parties, for which Meta argues it cannot be held liable as a host, given users consent to terms of service and the prohibition on under-13 sign-ups.
The suit seeks to represent all Canadians under the age of majority who used Facebook or Instagram while under 18 and who are believed to have been harmed. A certification hearing will be scheduled later to decide whether the case can move forward as a class action.
About the author: Tara Carman is a senior CBC reporter and data journalist with the national investigative unit. She has covered stories from Vancouver to Ottawa and beyond, and you can reach her at tara.carman@cbc.ca.
