Social Media Suit Survives: Judge Allows Wrongful Death Case Against Meta, ByteDance
A New York judge has ruled that a wrongful death lawsuit against Meta Platforms and TikTok’s parent company ByteDance may proceed, following the death of a teenager allegedly influenced by dangerous online content. The decision was reported by Reuters.
In February 2023, 15-year-old Zachary Nazario died while engaging in “subway surfing” atop a moving train with friends. His mother, Norma Nazario, alleges that exposure to dangerous challenge videos on TikTok and Instagram led to her son’s obsession with the risky behavior.
Judge Paul Goetz stated that Norma Nazario will have the opportunity to prove that the companies "knowingly targeted minors with harmful content." As a result, her claims related to product liability, negligence, and wrongful death can advance in court.
The lawsuit also includes other defendants, though further details on them were not provided in the initial report.
