What is the Social Media Class Action Investigation about?
Shine Lawyers is investigating a potential class action in Australia against social media companies, including Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Snapchat, TikTok (ByteDance) and YouTube (Google), over alleged harms experienced by children and young people that may be linked to the design, operation and promotion of their platforms.
The investigation is considering whether platform operators designed, tested, updated, marketed or operated their platforms in ways that may have encouraged excessive or compulsive use by children and adolescents.
This may include features such as:
Algorithmic feeds;
Recommendation systems;
Endless scroll;
Autoplay;
Likes and other social-validation metrics;
Push notifications;
Streaks
Appearance-altering filters;
Peak age assurance;
Ineffective parental controls; and
Difficulty disengaging from the platform.
Shine is considering whether relevant companies adequately warned children, parents or guardians about those risks, and whether public statements about child safety, age restrictions, parental controls, content moderation or user control may have been misleading.
Can I join the Social Media Class Action Investigation?
To register for the investigation, the affected child or adolescent must have:
used one or more of the relevant social media platforms before the age of 18 while living in Australia; and
experienced serious mental health, behavioural, or related harm that you believe may be connected to your use of those platforms.
You may register if you are:
the person who experienced that harm; or
a parent or guardian registering on behalf of a child or young person who may have experienced this harm; or
a family member who believes they have suffered loss or injury connected to the alleged harm experienced by a child or young person.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a class action?
What is a class action?
When Governments, large companies or institutions do the wrong thing and people are harmed or suffer loss as a result, an individual can have little to no means of bringing a legal claim.
Class actions are an important mechanism within Australia’s legal system that allow large groups of people to come together to pursue a claim collectively.
For a class action to take place, there are three criteria that need to be met:
there must be 7 or more people that have claims against the same defendant; and
the claims relate to the same or similar circumstances; and
the claim must relate to at least one common issue of law or fact.
For more information about how class actions resolve, click here.
How long do class actions take to resolve?
How long do class actions take to resolve?
It can take up to several years for a class action to resolve. The time taken from case commencement through to resolution and settlement administration depends on the particular case, and the nature of the claim.
For more information about class actions and how they work, click here.
Does it cost anything to join a class action?
Does it cost anything to join a class action?
Shine Lawyers is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or financial situation, has access to justice. We run our class actions in a way that means you are not exposed to any out-of-pocket costs or financial risk.
When a class action is successful, the legal fees and costs to run the class action are deducted from the settlement amount that is approved by the Court. If the class action is unsuccessful, we will ensure there are no out-of-pocket costs to you.
Will my contact details be kept private?
Will my contact details be kept private?
Yes, your contact details will remain confidential.
Shine Lawyers will only use your personal information strictly for the purpose of any legal proceedings and in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Meet the Social Media Class Action Investigation team
Shine Lawyers Social Media Class Action Investigation team includes some of the firm’s most experienced litigators, solicitors and support staff. Learn more about the team running this class action by clicking on their profiles below.
Why choose Shine Lawyers?
In successful settlements and judgments
We have secured more than $1 billion in class action settlements and judgments for our group members.
years of collective experience
Our team includes the country’s most experienced class actions experts and litigators with the skill, industry insight and dedication to deliver the best possible outcomes for deserving Australians.
dedicated class actions team members
We are proudly one of the largest class actions teams in the country. Our senior practitioners are supported by a dedicated team devoted to the complex field of class actions.
Media Releases
By registering with us, you are signing up to receive updates on the Social Media Class Action Investigation. Registering with us does not establish a solicitor client legal relationship with Shine Lawyers. As we have not entered into a solicitor client retainer with you at this time any rights you may have are not presently protected. Statutory time limits may also apply to your claim. If you have any concerns about your potential claim, please seek independent legal advice immediately.
Social Media Class Action Investigation
If you used Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube before the age of 18 while living in Australia and believe you experienced serious mental health, behavioural, or related harm linked to that use, you are encouraged to register your interest in this investigation.
Parents and guardians can register on behalf of a child or young person, and family members may also be eligible to register if they have suffered loss or injury connected to the alleged harm experienced by a child or young person.