ADDICTED

Parents Sue Meta, Snap Over Teen’s Suicide

Suit alleges social-media companies’ algorithms encouraged destructive and excessive use of platforms.

A teenager who killed himself after becoming a compulsive user of social media was kept hooked to apps by algorithms deliberately designed to promote excessive use, a new lawsuit claims. The filing by the Seattle-based Social Media Victims Law Center alleges that Christopher James “CJ” Dawley was a victim of policies that encourage addictive and self-destructive use of social-media platforms. The honors student killed himself in January 2014, a month before his 17th birthday, after a posting a message reading “Who turned out the light?” on his Facebook page. “Neither Meta or Snap warned users or their parents of the addictive and mentally harmful effects that the use of their products was known to cause amongst minor users,” the complaint, filed in Eastern District of Wisconsin, alleged.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741