Yes. Thousands of families have filed lawsuits alleging that Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube were designed in ways that harm young users' mental health. Federal cases are consolidated in Northern California, with more in California state court. Scams borrow those headlines, so legitimate outreach never charges an upfront fee or promises a specific amount.
Maybe you saw an ad about the social media lawsuits, or you got a text or a call after filling out a form. Maybe a link arrived asking you to sign something. If your first thought was "is this a scam?", that is a reasonable instinct, and a good one to act on.
This guide answers the question directly, explains why you are seeing these messages at all, and shows you how to check any message, including one from us, before you share information or sign an agreement.
Is the litigation itself real?
Yes. The federal lawsuits are consolidated in a multidistrict litigation, or MDL, which is a single federal court that handles pretrial work for many similar lawsuits at once. This one is MDL 3047, In re: Social Media Adolescent Addiction/Personal Injury Products Liability Litigation, before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in the Northern District of California. As of November 2026, more than 4,000 cases were pending there.
A separate group of cases is coordinated in Los Angeles County Superior Court. In March 2026, a jury there found Meta and YouTube liable in the first trial. Since then, the companies have settled several individual cases before trial, and Meta reached a separate settlement with a group of state attorneys general.
The lawsuits allege that features like endless feeds, autoplay, streaks, and push notifications were built to keep young people on the apps despite known risks. The companies deny these claims, and no global settlement covering individual families has been reached.
You can confirm all of this yourself. The court publishes its docket, and major news outlets have covered each trial and settlement.
Why am I seeing ads, calls, and texts about it?
Lawsuits like these are filed one family at a time. That means law firms and the services that work with them need to reach people who may have a claim, and advertising is how most of them do it. Seeing an ad, or getting a follow up call after you submitted a form, is a normal part of how these cases are built.
Scammers know this too. When a lawsuit is in the news, fake "settlement" messages tend to follow. The fact that you received a message does not tell you whether it is legitimate. What the message asks you to do usually does.
What does legitimate outreach look like?
A legitimate process has a recognizable shape:
- It starts with questions, not money. You are asked about the person who used the apps, when they used them, and what harm followed. Nobody asks you to pay anything to find out if you may qualify.
- There is a written agreement with a named law firm. If you decide to move forward, you sign an agreement, often called a retainer, that names the law firm or firms who will represent you. You can read it before signing and keep a copy.
- Fees are contingent. Attorneys in these cases typically work on contingency, which means their fee comes out of a recovery if there is one, and you owe no attorney fee if there is not. Our guide to how contingency fees work covers the details.
- You get time. You can ask questions, ask someone you trust to read the agreement, or wait until tomorrow. A legitimate process does not fall apart because you took a day.
What are the red flags?
Be cautious with any message that:
- Asks for a payment to file, to process, or to "release" money.
- Asks for bank or card details over text, email, or a cold call.
- Promises a specific amount, or says money is already set aside in your name. No one can know what an individual claim will produce before it is resolved.
- Says it comes from Meta, TikTok, a court, or a government agency and asks you to act through a link.
- Pushes you to sign within hours or says an offer expires today.
- Will not tell you which law firm is involved, or the name it gives does not check out.
A real deadline does exist in these cases. Every state sets a time limit for filing, called a statute of limitations, and it depends on where you live and the age of the person harmed. Someone can explain that deadline to you honestly. That is different from pressure to sign on the spot.
Have questions before you sign anything?
The free case review asks a few questions about your family's situation. There is no cost, and you are never asked to pay to find out if you may qualify.
Start a free reviewHow can I check who I am talking to?
A few minutes of checking will tell you a lot:
1. Look up the law firm yourself. Every state bar has a public lookup for licensed attorneys. Search for the attorneys named in the agreement and confirm they are licensed and in good standing. 2. Call back on a number you found. If a call or text makes you uneasy, find the organization's phone number on its own website and call that number instead of replying. 3. Read the agreement before you sign. It should name the firm, explain the fee, and explain how case costs are handled. If any of that is missing or unclear, ask. 4. Check the web address. Before entering information on a page, make sure the address matches the organization that contacted you.
If you are ever unsure, it is fine to stop and ask. A legitimate organization will answer your questions.
Who is Injury Advocate Group?
Injury Advocate Group is a legal advertising service. We are not a law firm, and we do not give legal advice. We connect people who may have a claim with attorneys who handle these cases.
When we contact you, it is because you submitted a form or asked to hear from us. If you choose to move forward, the agreement you sign is with a law firm, and that firm is named in the document. You are welcome to ask us which firm it is at any point, and to take as long as you need to decide.
Our free case review costs nothing, and we never ask for bank or card information. If a message claiming to be from us asks for either, do not respond to it.
What should I do if I think I was targeted by a scam?
If you shared payment details, contact your bank or card company right away. You can report the message to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and to your state attorney general's consumer protection office.
Being targeted by a scam does not affect whether your family has a real claim. Those are separate questions, and you can still pursue a legitimate review afterward.
What to do now
If your child, or you as a teenager, struggled with mental health problems that you connect to social media use, the litigation is real and a claim may be possible. Take your time, ask questions, and check who you are dealing with. A legitimate review will still be there after you do.
Ready to check your eligibility?
Answer a few questions about your family's situation. It takes a few minutes, it is confidential, and there is no obligation.
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Can I cancel after I sign an agreement?
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Injury Advocate Group is an advertising service, not a law firm. Litigation status changes; eligibility can only be confirmed through a case review with an attorney.