Parents In California Can Now Sue Social Networks For Their Children’s Addiction

As part of a bill passed in California, parents can now hold social media companies accountable for an addiction inflicted on their children due to these apps. The bill allows parents to sue companies like Instagram and TikTok for up to $25,000 per violation.  

Addiction, as clarified by the bill, is mental, physical, or emotional harm to any child under the legal age of 18.

Parents can also bring a claim forward if they feel the time their child has spent on social media is excessive to the point that they fear their child has developed an unhealthy and concerning obsession with the platform.  

In response to this, social media companies have threatened to halt all services relating to kids as they would not want to be taken to court, the Associated Press reports.

The bill states that only companies that have at least US$100 million in revenue are allowed to be acted against. Other corporations that only offer simple messaging and email services, or streaming sites like Netflix are not part of the list of companies that can be sued. Companies that remove features that are deemed to cause addiction in children will then be excluded from the lawsuit. 

This bill was passed in an effort to protect children from the dangers of the internet. As the social media landscape continues to change, certain lines are being crossed when it comes to children’s safety. Companies are grappling to find a way to cater to their adult audience and the growing number of children that are now on social media.

There is a fine line between censorship and freedom of expression that companies tread on, and, often, it’s hard to find a medium between both without offending one group or another. But is giving parents the right to sue for things that are not directly the fault of social media companies the right move to make?

[via AP News and Penn Live Patriot News, cover photo 119732565 © Dimaberkut | Dreamstime.com]