Grieving parents and advocates gathered outside the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning for a vigil honoring their children, whom they say died as a result of harms caused by social media.
Platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Meta and Alphabet are facing hundreds of lawsuits nationwide from parents and others, with plaintiffs alleging the companies knowingly designed addictive products that exposed children to danger, predatory exploitation and self-harm. The bellwether trial underway in Los Angeles centers on a now 19-year-old plaintiff known as KGM, who claims that prolonged use of social media platforms led to depression and suicidal thoughts because of their addictive features.
Over seven parents and family members stood together, holding photos of their deceased children. Each shared the circumstances of their loss and the impacts they’ve seen from social media.