Two Canadian Families Join U.S. Parents in Lawsuit Against Social Media Giants

Twelve years after the tragic death of B.C. teenager Amanda Todd, her family is joining a lawsuit against several social media giants, alleging that these platforms continue to put children at risk by prioritizing engagement over safety. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, includes 11 families, two of whom are Canadian, and claims that some of the world's largest tech companies—Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, Discord, and Google—designed products that are harmful to children.

The suit alleges that these companies have knowingly allowed dangerous content and interactions, such as sextortion, to occur on their platforms, leading to serious mental and physical harm, including suicide. Amanda Todd, who died by suicide in 2012 after years of social media extortion and harassment, is one of the prominent cases highlighted. Her mother, Carol Todd, questioned why social media isn't safer for kids, especially as more children face similar dangers today.

The lawsuit also involves another Canadian family whose 17-year-old son, Harry Burke, died by suicide after being sextorted on Snapchat. The families claim that social media companies have failed to implement adequate safety measures to protect children from predatory behaviors.

Matthew Bergman, the lawyer representing the families, argues that these platforms were deliberately designed to maximize engagement, often at the cost of user safety. He points to internal documents from the Facebook Papers, which revealed that the company intentionally targeted young users for long-term engagement.

While Google has denied the allegations, other companies involved in the lawsuit have yet to comment. Their platforms often state they have age restrictions and content moderation policies to protect users. However, advocates argue that more stringent regulations are needed.

In response, governments in both Canada and the U.S. are working on legislation to improve online safety for children. Canada’s proposed online harms bill, and the U.S. Kids Online Safety Act aim to address these concerns, although their progress has been met with some political challenges.

Carol Todd emphasized the importance of joining the lawsuit to make social media safer for future generations, even though she cannot bring her own child back. The case is part of a growing movement to hold social media platforms accountable for the safety and well-being of their younger users.