TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains information about suicide, which may be triggering to some.
At what age should a child start to use social media? The question can be a hot topic among parents. Some people think it is harmless and acceptable for their children to post photos and videos online and to share their lives in that way. Other parents disagree, however, and believe that social media is dangerous and don't want their children involved. The debate often gets heated among parents and children alike.
Jennifer Mitchell lost her son Ian Ezquerra to suicide in 2019 and believes social media had a lot to do with it. The grieving mother sued Meta Platforms Inc. and Snap Inc. as a result in 2022, hoping to hold the social media giants accountable not only for Ian's death but also for the dangers she thinks social media poses for all young people.
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Ezquerra was an accomplished swimmer and honor student.
Mitchell told the Tampa Bay Times in 2019 that her son was just 16 when he died by suicide. She was nearly 5,000 miles away when she heard the news that he was dead. She never suspected this kind of tragedy in her family; Ezquerra was a happy kid who had big dreams for his future and wanted to be a psychologist.
"My message to every parent out there is to never let your guard down because it is a false sense of security," Mitchell said via the newspaper. "It's not real. Our children are not emotionally stable enough to be left alone with guns. We've seen teenagers devastated over stupid things. … There is no chance for them to think 'I want to live' after the fact."
The mother thinks social media led her son to feel pressured.
She told Fox 13 that after her son's death, she found disturbing video footage of him. "I saw his videos, three videos of what looked like him playing Russian roulette … the last video that he made never went anywhere."
She believes he was encouraged by what he saw on social media. Mitchell told the news outlet that if it weren't for social media, she believes her son would still be alive.
Mitchell decided to sue.
In August 2022, Mitchel partnered with the Social Media Victims Law Center and filed a wrongful death suit against Meta and Snap, alleging they were responsible for her son's death. The lawsuit claims that social media use led to addiction, depression, and anxiety. According to a release from the law center, Ezquerra began to use social media in middle school, without his mother's consent, and developed an obsession.
"Over time, Ian became addicted to Instagram and Snapchat with their 'like' and 'streak' features and instant gratifications, resulting in sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, anger, and outbursts," the news release explains. "Instagram and Snapchat directed Ian to connections, groups, and content that were harmful and inappropriate for a child of his age. The dangerous content included videos and groups glorifying danger and self-harm, including but not limited to things like the deadly game of Russian Roulette."
The lawsuit claims the companies value money over anything else.
Mitchell's attorney, Matthew P. Bergman, thinks the companies need better user protections.
"Social media companies like Meta Platforms and Snap continue to put profits over people by knowingly creating products that addict its users," he expressed in the news release. "These applications and their algorithms are designed to addict its users and push content that impacts those most vulnerable and impressionable, our children. Unless they are held accountable, children will continue to suffer injuries, and worse, death."
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Mitchell hopes to bring awareness to the dangers of social media.
She began the nonprofit organization Ian's Way to help start a conversation about teenage suicide and social media.
"Social Media has been the driving force to our Teens Mental Health Crisis. Protect your kids. Say no to social media. Let our kids be kids and play outside," a post on the group's Facebook page reads. "Get real human interaction. Social Media is has benefits, but the good doesn't out weigh the bad. Let's stop the harm and say Let our Kids be kids and say No to Social Media for your kids."
Mitchell told Fox 13 her message is simple: "Don't allow your kids on social media."
