Instagram Lawsuit Lawyers

February 6, 2024 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman

Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms globally, has found itself entangled in various legal disputes over the years. As a platform owned by Facebook and its parent company Meta, Instagram has faced similar legal challenges, ranging from privacy concerns to intellectual property disputes.

In this article, we focus on current lawsuits involving the harm users are suffering because of Instagram’s algorithms and strategic marketing schemes.

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The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on Users

Social media platforms like Instagram, owned by Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta), generate substantial revenue through digital algorithms designed to engage and retain users. Upon opening an Instagram account, personal data is collected and used to tailor content that entices users to spend extended periods of time on the platform.

Instagram Targets Vulnerable Users

Unfortunately, vulnerable demographics, including children and teenagers, have experienced adverse effects and financial losses due to their engagement with Instagram. Parents are beginning to bring Instagram lawsuits to recover their losses due to the harm their children have experienced from social media.

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If You Think You Have an Instagram Lawsuit, Dolman Law Group Can Help

Dolman Law Instagram Lawsuit Lawyers Team standing and sitting behind large table

To pursue justice against corporations like Instagram and Meta, it's crucial to partner with a law firm experienced in navigating complex claims and building compelling legal cases.

With our vast experience, you can count on our legal team’s reputation for:

  • Successful Track Record and Tenacity: Dolman Law Group boasts a history of success, with over $400 million recovered for clients and more than 120 years of combined experience.
  • Navigating Complexity: With extensive experience handling mass tort claims, our team is equipped to handle various legal procedures, including potential Instagram class-action lawsuits and multidistrict litigation.

The growth of social media use, particularly on platforms like Instagram, has raised concerns about its impact on users' mental health and well-being. Research is supporting various allegations against Instagram, and numerous lawsuits are being filed against Meta Platforms asserting that Instagram's algorithms prioritize content that may contribute to negative self-perception and mental health issues among users, especially adolescents.

Studies are showing how social media can increase loneliness and depression in young users, especially teenage girls. These reports indicate that prolonged exposure to social media can worsen issues such as cyberbullying, sleep deprivation, and body image concerns, particularly among young people.

How Does Instagram's Profit-Driven Model Exploit Users?

Attorney Matthew Dolman listening to client

Instagram's revenue model heavily relies on targeted advertising based on the user data collected through complicated algorithmic analysis. Every time a user logs onto a social media platform, their movements, choices, and reactions are tracked and recorded. 

This information allows platforms like Instagram to personalize the posts and ads each user sees. This system provides a steady stream of enticing and addicting content that ensures users won’t click away from the platform.

Instagram Has the Financial Incentive to Addict its Users

In one recent fiscal year, Meta, Instagram’s owner, reported almost $70 billion in ad revenue. As a result, Meta's staggering profits based on its current strategy underscores concerns that the platform may prioritize user engagement over user well-being. It is suspected that Meta is willing to exploit psychological vulnerabilities for financial gain.

In our opinion, this leads to serious ethical implications. Pending lawsuits allege that Instagram's use of sophisticated algorithms and artificial intelligence contributes to the growth of harmful content and may worsen mental health issues among its users.

Our Mission: To Seek Justice for Instagram Users

As legal battles against Instagram continue to unfold, we stand ready to advocate for user rights and hold social media platforms accountable for their impact on society. Our team of social media lawyers is prepared to provide the legal support and advocacy needed to take on these internet giants.

Dolman Law Group remains committed to advocating for those harmed by Instagram's practices, leveraging our resources and tenacity to pursue justice and accountability for our clients. We thoroughly understand the legal landscape surrounding Instagram claims, and we can help you take decisive legal action to seek recourse for the harm you've endured.

From a larger perspective, we can also help contribute to broader efforts to address social media's impact on society and protect our younger generations from greedy mega-corporations that don’t care about their consumers’ well-being.

What Makes Instagram Liable to Social Harm Lawsuits?

Stanley Gipe lawyer for Instagram Lawsuit

In the pending lawsuits against Instagram, plaintiffs have alleged that Instagram is liable for its users’ safety and well-being.

These legal arguments include:

  • Failure to Warn: Plaintiffs argue that Instagram failed to adequately warn users, particularly minors and their parents, about the potential mental, emotional, and physical risks associated with prolonged use of the platform.
  • Design Defect: Allegations suggest that Instagram's design inherently poses risks to users, especially minors and that feasible design changes could reduce or eliminate these risks, yet Instagram has failed to implement such alterations.
  • Negligence: Lawsuits assert that Instagram and its parent company, Meta, knew or should have known about the harmful effects of their platform's algorithms and design on users but failed to take appropriate action to mitigate these risks.
  • Manufacturing Defect: Plaintiffs claim that Instagram deviated from its original design intent to simply entertain its users. These deviations have resulted in a product that poses greater user risks than intended, potentially causing severe harm or even fatalities.
  • Fraud: By marketing Instagram as a safe platform while concealing its potential dangers, Meta and Instagram are accused of misleading users and creating an environment conducive to harm, prioritizing profits over user safety.

Which Injuries Have Been Linked to Instagram Use?

Bryn Austin is a professor in Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health’s Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences who is studying the effects of social media on users.

She reports that “From experimental research, we know that Instagram, with its algorithmically-driven feeds of content tailored to each user’s engagement patterns, can draw vulnerable teens into a dangerous spiral of negative social comparison and hook them onto unrealistic ideals of appearance and body size and shape.” 

Excessive use of Instagram has been linked to various detrimental effects on users' mental and physical well-being, including:

  • Depression and anxiety
  • Self-harm behaviors
  • Eating disorders
  • Body dysmorphia
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Suicidal ideation
  • Other mental health conditions, such as ADHD
  • Physical ailments like headaches and vision issues

Current lawsuits allege that Instagram was aware of these risks but failed to address them adequately, instead modifying the platform to enhance user addiction and engagement.

What Compensation Can You Recover From an Instagram Lawsuit?

The compensation you may request in an Instagram lawsuit depends on the severity of your injuries and the financial losses you have incurred as a result of Instagram use and harm.

Some of the more common types of damages we might pursue on your behalf include:

  • Reimbursement for medical expenses
  • Lost income due to inability to work
  • Pain and suffering
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Punitive damages if the court determines Instagram's actions were intentional or outrageous.
Dolman Law Group

Navigating Instagram lawsuits requires experienced legal representation to challenge powerful corporations like Meta. The attorneys at Dolman Law Group possess the necessary skills and resources to pursue justice against Instagram and Meta, ensuring that you or your loved one receive the compensation you deserve after being harmed by the platform.

Our compassionate personal injury lawyers understand the legal principles underlying Instagram lawsuits, and when you partner with us, we’ll help you assert your rights and hold social media platforms accountable for their actions.

To pursue an Instagram lawsuit, you need compelling evidence to build a strong legal foundation. While you are focusing on recovery or supporting your injured loved ones, let us navigate the daunting legal process.

Here's how the skilled Dolman Law Group team can assist you in building your Instagram settlement claim:

  • Compiling Evidence: Our experienced social media lawyers will assist in gathering crucial case information, including proof of Instagram usage, medical diagnoses related to social media addiction, medical expense records, anticipated income losses, and intangible damages such as pain and suffering.
  • Legal Research: We are closely following the studies and reports linking social media use to serious harm and injuries. This evidence will be crucial to prove how Instagram should be held responsible for the injuries suffered by its users.
  • Claim Preparation: With the evidence that is necessary for a strong injury claim, we can also engage expert witnesses and build a strong claim to support your request for compensation.
  • Filing a Claim or Lawsuit: We will work hard to reach an Instagram settlement that adequately covers your losses. If that is not possible, we will be prepared to bring your claim into civil court and pursue litigation all the way to trial, if needed.

Facing corporations like Meta requires skilled legal representation to protect your rights and pursue fair compensation. Dolman Law Group's legal professionals are adept at challenging corporate defense teams and insurance companies, ensuring your interests are safeguarded throughout the legal process.

Concerns about the cost of legal representation shouldn't deter you from seeking justice in an Instagram lawsuit. At Dolman Law Group, we accept social media harm cases on a contingency fee basis, alleviating any financial burdens for our clients. 

Under our contingency fee arrangement, you won't pay any upfront fees, and our attorney's fees are contingent upon the successful resolution of your Instagram lawsuit claim.

How to Get Started

Initiating an Instagram lawsuit is made simple with Dolman Law Group. Schedule a free, confidential consultation to learn more about your legal options and how we can assist you in seeking the compensation you deserve. We offer convenient consultations, whether in person or virtually. Our team is dedicated to providing personalized legal guidance tailored to your needs and preferences.

With Dolman Law Group's support and skill, you can navigate the complexities of an Instagram lawsuit with confidence, knowing that your rights are diligently protected throughout the legal process.

Doman Law Group - team of Instagram Lawsuit Lawyers

Contact Dolman Law Group Today to Discuss Your Instagram Lawsuit Options

We know the legal landscape surrounding Instagram and other social media platforms continues to evolve. Ongoing Instagram lawsuits are shaping policies and regulations governing the platform. However, if you are already suffering mental, emotional, or physical injuries from using Instagram, you need to take action now.

Reach out to the dedicated legal professionals at Dolman Law Group by calling  833-552-7274 or completing our online contact form for your free consultation today.

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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