An Italian mother sued Meta and TikTok after her 12-year-old daughter’s suicide, alleging algorithms promoted self-harm content, fueling growing global concerns over children’s mental health online.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES NEWS
A grieving Italian mother has sued Meta and TikTok, alleging harmful algorithms exposed her 12-year-old daughter to self-harm content before her suicide, intensifying global concerns over children’s safety online.
An Italian mother has launched legal action against Meta Platforms and TikTok after her 12-year-old daughter died by suicide following months of exposure to harmful online content related to self-harm and depression.
According to Reuters, Irene Roggero Ugues said her daughter Rossella’s personality and behaviour changed significantly before her death in February 2024. After accessing the child’s mobile devices, the family discovered she had secretly spent extensive time on social media platforms and operated a hidden Instagram account titled “Just a dead person.”
The family alleges that after Rossella began searching for depressive content in late 2023, platform algorithms repeatedly recommended similar material, worsening her emotional and psychological condition.
The lawsuit is reportedly the first collective legal action in Italy directly challenging the role of social media algorithms in exposing minors to harmful content. Several other affected families and Italian parents’ association MOIGE have joined the case.
Both Meta and TikTok denied the allegations, stating they actively remove dangerous content and continue introducing new safety measures aimed at protecting teenage users online.
The case adds to mounting global pressure on major technology companies over the impact of social media on children’s mental health. European regulators have recently intensified scrutiny of digital platforms, while multiple countries are considering stricter online protections and age-related restrictions for minors.
