Scammers blackmailed the teen into giving explicit photos on Facebook, which they then used to blackmail him for $3,500, according to a recent lawsuit that blames social media for leading to his suicide.
Some parents say their children spend $350 a month on their video game addiction, and harmful techniques employed by the developers leave children with severe depression, anxiety, and bursts of rage.
As families throughout U.S. pursue social media addiction lawsuit, the Surgeon General has recommended age-restrictions for teen social media use, due to concerns over mental health damage.
Critics say the video chat website regularly paired children with sexual predators, resulting in instances of harassment, rape and child sex trafficking.
Lawsuit alleges Facebook and Instagram misled the public about the risks of social media addiction on children, while illegally collecting personal data without parents' knowledge or consent.
Murthy urged lawmakers to consider forcing social media platforms to put in place age restrictions which limit access for younger users due to mental health risks.
The social media advisory urges the government, parents and internet companies to take measures to protect youth from the potentially harmful mental effects.
Heavy social media use may impact adolescent brain development and the brain's response to social interactions.
The JPML ordered that all social media addiction lawsuits will be centralized in the Northern District of California for pretrial proceedings.
Facebook and Instagram use algorithms which intentionally promote social media addiction and increase anxiety, particularly among teens
