Instagram Addiction Arbitration: Depression, Anxiety Claims

Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are gathering Instagram users to take action against Meta Platforms, Inc. in light of allegations that the social media giant intentionally designed its app to be addictive without warning users about the risks to their mental health.

According to several lawsuits filed against Meta, the company’s own research has shown that Instagram use can be damaging to mental health. In fact, various studies indicate that social media use is linked to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and other mental health issues for users of all ages.

These Instagram addiction lawsuits claim the platform’s impact on mental health is made even worse by the app’s addictive features, which were allegedly designed by Meta to maximize engagement even at users’ expense.

The attorneys believe Instagram users could be owed money for harm they may have experienced due to their use of the platform, including for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Studies Show Instagram Addiction Causes Depression, Anxiety

Various studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of social media platforms, including Instagram, on users’ mental health. These studies have shown that use of the apps can cause or exacerbate the following mental health issues:

Studies have also shown that addiction to Instagram and other social media apps can interfere with education, work and daily life due to users spending so much time on the app.

A 2017 survey of young people in the U.K. found that of all the social media platforms they used, Instagram had the most negative effect on well-being, with one expert commenting that because Instagram’s content is image-based, it could be causing increased feelings of inadequacy and anxiety in young users.

According to research, users’ susceptibility to depression, anxiety and other negative mental health impacts depends, in part, on their motivation for using Instagram. For example, studies have shown that people who use the app to gain social status or compare themselves to others are more likely to experience depressive symptoms, social anxiety, body image concerns and decreases in self-esteem.

Further, one study found that people who posted edited “selfies” on Instagram or similar apps were more likely to have eating disorders.

Instagram Addiction Lawsuits

Meta has been hit with several lawsuits seeking to hold the social media giant accountable for the damage its platforms have allegedly done to users’ mental health.

A proposed class action lawsuit filed in 2022 claimed that Meta intentionally designed its apps to exploit children’s unique vulnerabilities, including their increased responsiveness to rewards, their need for social validation, and their susceptibility to thrill-seeking behavior without regard to consequences. According to the case, the company began targeting pre-adolescents as early as 2006, viewing their susceptibility to addiction as “an opportunity” to increase profits. Features such as the “Like” button and algorithmically controlled content feeds were introduced to keep young users engaged with, and even addicted to, Instagram despite the risk to their mental health, the lawsuit claimed.

Another Instagram addiction lawsuit filed in August 2024 claimed Meta knew from its own and existing research that excessive social media use could lead to depression, body dysmorphia, anxiety, suicidal ideation, self-harm, insomnia, eating disorders and other damaging mental health issues. Nevertheless, the company allegedly failed to warn users about the risks of Instagram addiction and instead continued to introduce features that were designed to generate addictive behavior, such as the “infinite scroll,” “Live,” “Reels” and “Stories.”

Users Report Instagram Addiction Harms Mental Health

Users of Instagram and other social media platforms have posted on Reddit detailing their experiences with social media addiction and many times asking other users for help with how to overcome it.

Many users said they often felt depressed after using Instagram or reported other symptoms of addiction, with some users saying they couldn’t help but spend hours on the app every day despite its negative effects on their lives.

Below is a sampling of users’ posts on Reddit about their experiences with Instagram [sic throughout]:

I'm currently talking to a therapist and recently I've realized how much damage instagram has done to me. I wake up in the morning, open instagram and my stomach literally starts aching because of the stuff I scroll through. It makes me anxious, stressed and fills me up with so muchh negativity. …  I scroll through instagram for 5 minutes and I become the most negative, most stressed person ever. It is ruining my day and slowly ruining my life.”
— PastaSauceVampire, Reddit.com

I don’t want to completely cut Instagram as I still want to occasionally keep in touch with my friends. But also I am spending a crazy amount of time scrolling to the point where it is definitely negatively impacting my life. How do I break this habit. Any help is appreciated.”
— ActAgitated2290, Reddit.com

For the first time in my life (mid 20’s), social media is making me depressed. Like seriously depressed. All I do all day is obsessively watch IG stories and it seems like everyone around me is either getting married, bought a new house, bought a new car, had a baby, or travelling the world or going out to insanely fun events every weekend. I literally hate myself and my life so much every day and it consumes me. And I hate everyone around me for having such an amazing fun life while I rot away. I just hate everything and I cry most days while green with envy. Time to delete social media.”
— Altruistic_Fault_620, Reddit.com

I haven’t been in the best headspace the past couple months. I noticed I’m not as present and I’m more irritable, judgmental and critical of myself and others. My attention span is absolute crap.. I can’t even focus on a tv show. I find myself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram instead of being productive with my time and idk why. I’m starting to wonder if my Instagram addiction is the reason why I’ve been feeling this way.”
— Salty-Pineapple-4913, Reddit.com

My attention span has gotten worse tbh. Idk how I've become addicted to scrolling on Instagram. For example, if I'm making coffee or preparing food, any tiny amount of free time in between is occupied with my mindless scrolling. I know it's really bad because it's affecting my focus on work and even simple things like watching a full movie without looking at my phone. I don't have tiktok; I keep my FB for groups only but Instagram has really affected me the most. I just checked my activity and it shows I average 3 hrs per day on the app.”
— Caretoomuch_9430, Reddit.com

Is This an Instagram Addiction Lawsuit? What Am I Signing Up For, Exactly?

You are not signing up for an Instagram addiction lawsuit, but rather a process known as mass arbitration. This is a relatively new legal technique that, like a class action lawsuit, allows a large group of people to take action and seek compensation from a company over an alleged wrongdoing. Here is a quick explanation of mass arbitration from our blog:

[M]ass arbitration occurs when hundreds or thousands of consumers file individual arbitration claims against the same company over the same issue at the same time. The aim of a mass arbitration proceeding is to grant relief on a large scale (similar to a class action lawsuit) for those who sign up.”

Instagram’s terms of use contain an arbitration clause requiring users to resolve disputes via arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution that takes place outside of court before a neutral arbitrator, as opposed to a judge or jury. It’s for this reason that attorneys working with ClassAction.org have decided to handle this matter as a mass arbitration rather than a class action Instagram addiction lawsuit.

How Much Does This Cost?

It costs nothing to sign up, and you’ll only need to pay if the attorneys win money on your behalf. Their payment will come as a percentage of your award.

If they don’t win your claim, you don’t pay.

What Is the Average Payout? How Much Money Could I Get

There are no guarantees as to how much money you could get or whether your claim will be successful. However, the attorneys believe those who participate in the mass arbitration may be able to recover money for medical bills to cover their mental health treatment, lost wages from missing work, and damages for pain and suffering.

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