Tammy

A Connecticut woman is suing Instagram's parent company Meta and Snap Inc, alleging an addiction to their Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> platforms caused The Suicide<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> of her Young Daughter<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

Selena Rodriguez, an 11-year-old resident of The Town<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> of Enfield, committed suicide Last Year<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

The lawsuit alleges That her death was caused by the potentially dangerous features of the platforms.

The case comes amid growing fears over the impact of Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> On Children<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

According to a statement from the Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> Victims Law Center (SMVLC) - which filed The Suit<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> in California on behalf of Selena's mother, Tammy<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> - the young girl suffered from an " extreme" addiction to Instagram and Snapchat.

Ms Rodriguez confiscated Her Daughter<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> 's devices on multiple occasions, only to have her Run Away<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> to use Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> , according to the SMVLC.

" On multiple occasions, Selena received Mental Health<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> treatment for her addiction, " The Statement<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> said. " One outpatient therapist who evaluated Selena remarked That she had never seen a patient as addicted to Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> . "

Before her suicide on 21 July 2021, Selena had allegedly suffered from sleep deprivation and depression for months, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic began and she spent more time on Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

Additionally, the lawsuit alleges That Selena was repeatedly solicited for sexually exploitative content, which she ultimately shared.

The images were then leaked and shared by her classmates, leading to a deterioration of her mental state and eventually to her suicide.

The lawsuit, which was filed in a federal courtroom in California on Friday, alleges That both Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> giants " knowingly and purposefully" designed and marketed products That were harmful to a " significant" number of their underage users.

" [The] defendants intentionally created an attractive nuisance to young children but failed to provide adequate safeguards from the harmful effects they knew were occurring on their wholly owned and controlled digital premises, " the lawsuit says.

In a statement sent to The Bbc<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> , a Snap spokesperson said The Company<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> was " devastated" to hear of Selena's death, although it declined to comment on the lawsuit specifically.

" Nothing is more important to us than the wellbeing of our community, " the spokesperson said, adding That it helps people communicate With Friends<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> " without some of The Public<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> pressure and social comparison features of traditional Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> platforms".

The spokesperson added That it " intentionally makes it hard for strangers to contact Young People<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> " and is working with Mental Health<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> organisations to provide in-app tools and resources.

Meta - the parent company of Facebook<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> - did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Bbc<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

The lawsuit comes as US lawmakers and The Public<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> have grown increasingly concerned over the impact of Social Media<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> on Young People<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> .

In November, former Facebook<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> product manager Frances Haugen told lawmakers The Company<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> was harming children, but alleged That it " won't make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people".

Afterward, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> sent a letter to Staff<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> - Made<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> public on his Facebook<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> Page - That The Company<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> cares " deeply about issues like safety, well-being and Mental Health<Meta itemprop='name' content='JJ Lin'> ".

Source of news: bbc.com